Vyalam

ali (Tamil: யாளி [jaːɭi]), also known as Vyalam or Sarabham in Sanskrit, is a mythical creature seen in many Hindu temples, often sculpted onto the pillars. Yali is a mythical lion that has a catlike graceful body, but the head of a lion with tusks of an elephant (gaja) and tail of a serpent. References to yalis are very old. Yalis are believed to be more powerful than the lion or the elephant. -Wikipedia