International Conference on Asian Elephants in Culture & Nature

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“Chang”: Elephant Conceptual Metaphor in Thai
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Oupra, S.
This paper presents preliminary findings on the use of the word “Chang” or elephant in Thai society. The research was conducted using document study and focus group interviews including questionnaires. The results reveal the use of the word “Chang” in every day expressions such as nouns, pronouns, idioms, metaphors, descriptors of ornamental designs and names of orchids. The conceptual understanding of the word is discussed in detail.
Causes for the Rude Behavior of Elephants in and around the Yala National Park: Block-1
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Isthikar, M.A.M.
Sri Lankan elephants (elphahasmaximusmaximus) need free natural habitats for their natural way of life. Innocent elephants have adopted rude behaviour as their self defence mechanism because of unethical human practices.The objective of this paper is to find the causes for the rude behavior of elephants in and around Yala National Park:Block-1 (YB-1).Datawere collected fromYB-1, office of the Park as well as from west and north western areas such as Kirinda, Situlpawwa, Galkaduwa, Palatupana, Mahesanpura and Weeravila through observation and interviews with officers and local people in July and December 2015. Yala National Park is facilitating more than 350 elephants including the block-1 which is open to visitors. However, the elephant population varies according to different seasons. In front of the elephants, more than 175 safari jeeps and private vehicles are permitted to make safari within the YB-1. As a result, the traffic congestion is noticeable in the block. Visitors are used to repeat their vehicle movements; as move, stop and restart them inside the park, and that makes the elephants nervous, and interrupts their free roaming and feeding. Visitors tend to shout, show objects such as bottles and sometimes throw those objects towards them, wave hands, hoot vehicle horns, flash their cameras towards elephants and some also try to feed unnecessarily. The villagers intrude upon the park for numerous purposes and hurt elephants in different ways. Due to above such human activities, lack of seasonal carrying capacity in the park, and with the attraction of tasty ready-made food around the park, elephants occupy, feed and trample outside the park during the drought which is prevalent from May to August. People light crackers, fires, shout, make noises with tins and coconut shells and use of lethal devices, and shoot elephants as well as chase them away. Some elephants remain with injuries. With such repeated incidents, some elephants become rude and try to attach humans.
Some Icons of the Elephant God-Ganesa in Ancient Vidarbha
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Gupta, C.
Vidarbha comprising eleven districts is situated in the north-eastern part of the present Maharashtra State is an ancient janpada. It has a hoary past as proved through ancient literature and archaeological evidence. Its religious tradition is also found reflected in these sources. Besides Shaiva, Vaishnava, Bouddha, Jaina, Shakta religious practices, the cult of Ganesa was also existing in this region, which was known as Ganapatya. In Ganesapurana, one of the popular texts of the sectarian literature two places of Vidarbha viz. Adasa(Adosha) and Kalamba are described as abodes of Ganesa named there as “Shamivighnesa” and ‘Chintamani” respectively. Adasa is in Nagpur and Kalamba is in Yawatmal districts. Besides these two Ganesa icons, there are many more idols of Ganesa in different places of Vidarbha. Some of them are enlisted below:-  Ashtadasa-bhuja Ganesa at Ramtek in Nagpur district  Panchanana Ganesa at Pauni in Bhandara district  Bhrusundi Ganesa at Mendha in Bhandara district  Varada Vinayaka at Gaurala, Bhadravati in Chandrapur district  Ekachakra Ganesa at Kelzar in Wardha district  Siddhivinayaka tekadi Ganesa at Sitabardi in Nagpur district The earliest icons are from Hamalapuri and Mandhal in Nagpur district and Paunar in Wardha district which belongs to the age of the Vakataka i.e. 4th and 5th CE. Practically all the idols in worship are hidden behind a thick coat of wormillion so that most of their details are not visible. These idols in geo-anthropological form show mainly two types viz, Siddhivinayaka and Varadavinayaka form, based on the position of the proboscis which is bent towards his proper right and left side respectively. Ganapatya sect has a good number of texts pertaining his worship. Ancient idols, iconography, art history etc., will be discussed in this paper.
A Short Study on the Occurrence and Usage of the Word ‘Elephant’ in the Buddhist Canon
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Wijayawimala Thero, Suriyawewa
The word elephant implies that it is the biggest animal in the forest. Among the many aspects of the elephant its brain is considered one of the most significant. This research is not going to elucidate on the significant characteristics of mammalian elephants but is concerned with the specific occurrence and usage of word elephants with reference to the Buddhist canon. More often than not, Buddhist teaching can be defined as consisting of figurative stories. When individual Dhamma was being preached, similes were taken from the surrounding by the Buddha. Accordingly, when studying the Buddhist norm one aspect that can be effectively identified are animal allegories. In such a context, the occurrence and usage of the elephant can usually be seen with prominent interpretations throughout the Pāli canon. For example, when paying attention to the Majjima Nikaya, it contains two suttas by names of simile of the small elephant’s foot discourse (Chullahatthipadopama sutta) and simile of the great elephant’s foot discourse (Mahahatthi Padopama sutta). When considering these facts, the word elephant can be identified in the outstanding structure of the Pāli canon. Therefore this is an analytical study on the significance of the occurrence and usage of the word elephant in the Pali canon.
Significance, Symbolism and Representation of Elephants in Gandhara Buddhist Art
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Anwar, N.
Elephant being the symbol of stature, prosperity, wisdom and dominance is the most represented animal in the antiquity of South Asia. Since the dawn of Bronze Age, the depictions of elephants remained the choice of artists on priority basis. Similarly, the sculpting of elephants also remained a focal point during the Buddhist occupation of the historic Gandhara, the ancient name of present day north-western parts of Pakistan, the holy land of Buddhism. Around the end of the first century BC, it gave birth to a Sculpting Art devoted to the faith of the Buddha. The art was not a natural continuation of the Ancient Indian Arts but exhibits clear evidence of Hellenistic influence, though, it is significant to elaborate that the purpose of this art was the propagation of Buddhism through the images carved revolving around the Buddha’s life stories and other associated legends. So far, the case of elephant depictions is concerned, preliminary, the birth of the Buddha drawn by an elephant to miracles and up to representation in architecture, elephant continued to be the most celebrated animal in the Gandharan panels. The present research is an attempt on one side towards the significance and symbolism of elephant depicted in various postures where, on other side to eliminate on zonal workshops based on stylistic ground. Since the basic problem with the Gandharan sculptures is the absence of provenances, especially, those recovered in the early nineteenth century, the stylistic study is always adopted for affixing them to their probable zones. Similarly, the paper will also make an effort to reconstruct the glorious faunal past of that zone.
Representation of Elephant in Hoysala Temples: with Reference to Hoysaleshwara Temple of Halebidu
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Chavan, S.M.
The temples built between 11th and 14th centuries by the Hoysala rulers exhibit intricate sculptures and freezes in stone as a part of its architecture. Being extremely stylistic, they belong to Karnataka a state in the southern part of India. Some of the temples of this period include the temples at Belavadi, Amruthapura, Hosaholalu, Mosale, Arasikere etc. Some of the important ones are marked as Chennakesava Temple at Belur, the Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebid and the Keshava Temple at Somanathpura. The temples dedicated to Shiva or Vishnu the two main deities of the Hindu pantheon placed in the sanctum sanctorum with a circumambulatory passage, the outer portion unfolds on a unique plan with projections and recesses in the external walls. The temple walls are richly covered with intricately carved sculptures with themes of different forms of the Hindu gods and goddesses, along with stylised animal figures and exquisitely decorative patterns of flora and fauna. The Hoysaleswara temple is well known for its sculptures that run all along the outer wall, starting with a dancing image of the elephant god Ganesha on the left side of the south entrance and ending with another image of Ganesha on the right hand side of the north entrance. There are also good examples of the elephants sculpted on the walls, represented as the vehicle of Indra and as the demon Gajasura who is slayed by Shiva. Other interesting representations of the elephant are elephant flanked by the steps of parapets that lead to the temple as also represented as part of the freezes of the temple walls. The present paper proposes to study the elephant images presented in the Hoysaleshwara temple of Halebidu, along with its characteristic form, and it would also analyse the symbolic representations.
Elephant: As a Royal Mount
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Shanker, K.
Elephants, in Indian culture, especially in Hinduism, are the most widely worshipped. In fact, the Hindu god deity is Lord Ganesha – ‘The Elephant God’. Ganesha, as he is commonly called, is an elephant-headed god who has an extensive legend. He represents royalty, power, wisdom, fertility and longevity. He is considered to be the ‘remover of obstacles’ and a ‘bestower of prosperity’. Ganesha is also called Ganapati. ‘Ga’ means ‘knowledge’, ‘na’ means ‘salvation’, and ‘pati’ means ‘lord’. Since time immemorial elephants have been inherently associated with human life, especially in Indian culture. Hindus have worshiped elephants for centuries, and this gigantic animal has also enjoyed tremendous popularity and a prestigious status in other parts of South Asia as well. Even now, many Indian temples and festivals demonstrate the significant role of elephants. In Kerala, richly decorated elephants carry the deity during annual festival processions in the temples. These elephants are loved, revered, groomed and given a prestigious place in the state's culture. They are the living embodiment of power, strength, wisdom and royalty. In ancient times, elephants were also the essential part of any battle or war, they served as royal transport which is evident through numerous miniatures of the Mughal period. They were also used in armies as living tanks and troop carriers. Elephants have also been closely associated with Indian weddings and other grand processions. Elephants have always been pillars of Indian life and culture. This paper will dwell on various aspects of the relationship between elephants and humans since time immemorial and how an animal has been symbolized as a royal mount.
Identification of the Characteristics of Elephant through Synonyms in the Sanskrit Language
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Pemananda Thero, Mawatagama
Giving a name for an animate or inanimate object or for a place or an action on the basis of observing its characteristics is one of the traditional methods applied specifically in historical oriental languages such as Sanskrit, Pali and Sinhalese. As such, most of the terms in such languages as Sanskrit are words that are having obvious senses or obvious meanings. There, the word and the object that is denoted by it have a crucial and inseparable unique relationship or sameness. This tendency gives rise to the possibility of identifying the true characteristics of the objects that are implied by them. There is a sufficient collection of such words denoting the elephant in usage in Sanskrit, such as gaja, hastin, dantin, nāga, karin, dvipa, kuñjara, vāraṇa, yūthanātha, which really illustrate one or the other qualities of the elephant. The intention of this paper is to make a study of the multitude of such names used for elephants in Sanskrit in common parlance in order to observe whether there is any possibility to recognize its characteristic features by analyzing such designations appearing in lexicons, dictionaries and literary sources. As most of those Sanskrit names for elephant seem to be formed focusing on its instinctive and behavioral traits, in this survey all such terms are going to be critically analyzed in a certain etymological approach and it may throw a new light on the identification of typical characteristics of the elephant species. It may also be supportive to find a sound collection of miscellaneous elephant qualities which may indeed enhance our knowledge of the class of elephants. This attempt may, moreover, prove that the vigor of Sanskrit as a language is superb, for its word-formations are excessively organized in a systematical and theoretical background and this tendency will make the language-users persuasive by motivating them to construct such new words.
A Crisis between Humans and Elephants: A Study of Conflict Resolution Methods taken to Mitigate Human-Elephant Conflict with Special Reference to Gampola Village, Sri Lanka
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Herath, O.
The human-elephant conflict is a serious problem that Sri Lanka has faced for many years. It has existed since people started invading the habitats of elephants causing them to attack villages and areas where people live. Elephants live in their own space but as for humans, they clear forests and protected areas for wild life to get more lands to settle down ignoring the fact that it will result in the change of elephant habitats. This has led to the elephants turning violent often destroying cultivated land and attacking people leading to disability and more frequently, death. There are some steps taken to mitigate the conflict, but the issue is at the same level resulting in the suffering of both elephants and humans. The research problem addresses the question as to whether any effective steps are taken by the relevant authorities. The major objective of this research is to identify the methods that have been taken to mitigate the human-elephant conflict. This research was conducted primarily in the Gampola village (a village which belongs to Giribawa provincial secretariat division in the Kurunegala district) as a case study. Primary and secondary data have been used for this research including interviews and observation which are used as the main data collection methods. Thirty families were interviewed and observed. In addition, books, web sites, online magazines were taken as secondary data. Since the collected date were qualitative, data analysis has been done qualitatively. According to the findings of the research the government and the relevant authorities have taken some steps to protect both parties. Electric fences have been the traditional solution to the problem, but other alternatives have been used such as beehives, palmyrah fences and spiky lime to keep elephants away from human settlements. However, these steps have shown limited success and to this year there has been an allocation of Rs 4,000 million for the environment sector for three years, to resolve the human-elephant conflict and preserve Sri Lanka’s rich biodiversity. The Government is also seeking additional funds through a World Bank project interest-free loan of US$ 30 million; a large portion of the project’s funding is to initiate innovative programmes that would reduce human-wildlife conflict. Unfortunately, this issue hasn’t been adequately addressed by the authorities concerned due to several factors and according to the findings of the case study, the Gampola people are not satisfied with the steps taken because only an electric fence has been placed around the village and villagers continue to suffer with the issue.
The Mahut Songs of Golapara and Role of Hastir Kanya Pratima Pandey Baruah in their Cultural Restoration
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Parashar, A.
Goalporiya folk songs, locally known as Goalporiya Loka Geet, are part of a cultural community of Assam (a North Eastern state of the Indian subcontinent). The Rajbangsis have largely been historically dispersed around a vast territory including Assam, Bengal, Bihar, Southern Nepal and even Bangladesh. It refers to the lyrical songs of Goalpara that are not associated with religion or rituals. There are various subgenres of this music that differ in the musical mood and themes, of which the bhawaiya and the chatka are principal forms, beside moishali and maut songs. It was Pratima Pandey Baruah, princess of the royal family of Gauripur and known as ‘Hastir Kanya or the Daughter of the Elephant’, who picked up the songs from a dying stage, when the history of the state took a sharp turn due to existing socio-political conditions. From a status of royalty to a vagabond, her cultural journey for revival of these folksongs, especially those of elephant catchers and attendants, is not only interesting but at the same times a vivid documentation of the changing cultural and political scenario of this traditional form. Through this paper an attempt will be made to conduct a holistic study of the Goalporiya folk songs of the elephant catchers and attendants along with the role of Hastir Kanya Pratima Pandey Baruah in their revival.
Airāvata in Sanskrit Literature – Religious and Socio-Cultural Perspective
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Deshpande, P.
Literature of any language is closely connected with nature as well as social culture of the established society. Elephant, a common, popular and powerful animal is widely taken care of in Sanskrit literature. It has been given different epithets, viz. Gaja, Mātaṅga, Kunjar, Airāvata etc. Most of these epithets are either attributed to it due to its functional or physical characteristics. Airāvata in Sanskrit literature is a Mythological figure. It also has religious and socio - cultural aspects. It was a son of the Irāvati and was mount of Lord Indra. It was having four or five tusks and was symbolic in nature. It was regarded as the guardian of the directions. Airāvata was always very powerful and prominent in nature and conferred upon the title of the King of elephants. Data sources and analytical approaches This presentation is based upon different literary sources like Mahabhārata, different Paurānic texts and other Sanskrit Classical Literature. Aim of the Presentation In this paper the attempt will be made to show the early occurrences of Airāvata elephant and its connection to mythology, symbolism, culture and the society.
Moral Communications through Proverbs Related to Elephants and Tuskers
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Liyanage, D.
Concerning folklore, there are main characteristics that could be studied in different manners. “Listening Skill” is one of the main characteristics of folklore. Proverbs are able to finely manifest “Man Mind” and “Man Consciousness”. On the other hand, the proverbs which occur in the folklore are a manifestation of creative communication of villagers in the old days. Proverbs related to elephants and tuskers direct people towards morals by creating emotions in them related to taste, humor and sarcasm. This is significant of proverbs. “Communication” is the action of well reception of a message. The receiver can thoroughly grab the message if the medium is well created. Hence, due to the inclusion of the following factors, proverbs could be known as an interesting medium of communication. The main objective of this research is to study how the morals are communicated by the proverbs related to elephants and tuskers. Apart from that the sub-objectives include studying on elephants and tuskers, and on proverbs and morals. The main method of this research is content analysis. It is done by the aid of 15 proverbs related to elephants and tuskers. Research problem of this research is how to communicate morals through proverbs related to elephants and tuskers. Conclusion of this research is tactful mind, patience, courage, to do good and refrain from doing wrong and to make good decisions are some of the morals profoundly communicated through proverbs related to elephants and tuskers.
Symbolic Elephant Motif in Traditional Indian Textiles and Embroideries
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Kumar, V.
The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. India had always been known as the land that portrayed cultural and traditional vibrancy through its conventional arts and crafts. Widely used as motif in Indian textiles, Elephant is a symbol of wisdom, fertility, prosperity, strength and royalty. Elephants are important in Indian mythology too. Lord Ganesha bears an elephant head, symbolizing great intellect and wisdom. As vahan of Indra, the Vedic deity, the elephant is associated with rain and fertility. It was depicted on the seals excavated from Indus valley sites and on the Hindu and Buddhist architecture. Elephants are also a symbol of royalty. In Asian cultures, the elephant is a symbol of good luck, happiness and longevity and have been interpreted in the motif as the result of religion, customs, natural surroundings and social beliefs of that particular area to which its creator belongs. A motif is the most basic unit or the smallest unit of pattern. The motifs in textile design may be classified as geometric, realistic or natural, stylized and abstract and are linked to natural, cultural, religious and socio-economic factors prevailing in any society. Though always speculative, the meaning of the motifs used in decoration of textiles may change with cultural context but the symbolic meaning of various motifs remains the same wherever they are applied, be it the famous Pipli applique work of Orissa, Madhubani paintings of Bihar, Patola Ikat weaves of Gujarat, Pochampalli weaves of Andhra Pradesh or the little known Manjoosha painting of Bihar.
The Elephant in Gautam Buddha’s Life, Jatakas and their Depiction in Sculptures and Paintings
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Mudgal, K.; Joshi, Y.
There were two major events in Gautam Buddha’s life in which the elephant had a prominent role. The first event was related to Gautam Buddha’s birth and the second one was his miracle at Rajgriha. Jatakas are the stories of previous births of Gautam Buddha. Before he received the Bodhi (Great Enlightenment) he was born in many births in different forms like a king, elephant, monkey, etc. After passing through these various births finally he was Enlightened. In these Jatakas, Gautam Buddha appears as a Bodhisatva. These Jataka stories are used by Gautam Buddha’s disciple to spread their Dhamma. There are a lot of Jataka stories in which Bodhisatva had been born as an elephant or an elephant is the main character in those stories. These two events in Gautam Buddha’s life and Jataka tales are depicted in the forms of sculptures and paintings at many Buddhist monuments in India as well as countries where Bauddha Dhamma reached like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Siam etc. In this paper we shall take a collective review of various art forms where the above mentioned stories are used as themes.
Gajalakshmi: The Evolution and Development
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Jambhulkar, S.; Bhagat, Y.
The word ‘Gajalakshmi’ is made up of two words gaja plus lakshmi. It is the name given to the sculpture in relief or to the motif of two water sprinkling elephants flanking a female either seated or standing on the blossomed lotus. The elephants are also standing on blossomed lotus on their hind legs. The motif is very popular in India today and is worshipped as the goddess of wealth and abundance. Though everybody in this world needs wealth and prosperity and worships the gajalakshmi, the trader and merchant community is the one who worships the gajalakshmi fervently. The earliest archaeological evidence of these motifs is of Bharhut and Sanchi stupa date back to 2nd BCE. Though most of the scholars trace the earliest motif in the Buddhist sculptures and Buddhist sites, they do not identify the motif as Mahamaya or the dream of Mahamaya or the birth of the Buddha. In fact had it not been seen on the earliest Buddhist sites, these motifs would never have been identified as anything related to Buddha and his birth. It is to be understood that though Buddhism was lost from India from 12th CE, the popular Buddhist motifs remained, but the symbolism changed and new meanings were given to the same motifs. Something similar has happened to the motif of Gajalakshmi. The motif of Mahamaya in the course of time has become Gajalakshmi and has been adopted by everybody as the goddess of wealth. This paper ventures into the possibility of a connection between Buddhist traders and merchants, trade routes and trading with Roman Empire to gain wealth and gold and the archaeological findings of gajalakshmi on the trade routes of Maharashra. It also questions the placement of the gajalakshmi on the torana-s, later on the gateways or doorways of the temples, or even on the entrances of the forts or entrance gates of the cities. The finding of the gajalakshmi relief sculptures on the trade routes from konkan to pathar of Maharashtra on the ghat belonging to the Satavahana period, definitely signifies much more than just the goddess of wealth worship. This paper is an attempt to study the evolution of the gajalakshmi from the dream of Mahamaya as the birth of the Buddha to the development of gajalakshmi seen on the trade routes and now the worship of the gajalakshmi fervently by the trading community.
Elephants in Art, Architecture and History of Kalinga
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Sahu, Y.K.; Nayak, C.P.
Kalinga is also named as Orissa and is a place where art and architecture had reached the epitome of its glory. The minute observations of and love for nature are the essential qualities of an artist which guide his creative faculties. The great sculptors of Kalinga, the then South Kosal, had observed elephants in nature and applied their technical knowledge achieved through the centuries to the animal motives depicted on the walls of the various temples of Kalinga. The preponderance of elephant motifs on the railings of temples shows a cultural association of people with the animal and their availability in plenty in the wild and in captivity. There are several myths related to elephants in Indian literature. The most popular belief indicating the sign of conception in womanhood by the visit of a snake in her dream (traceable not only in India but also in different parts of the world with slight variations) was directly transferred to the elephant (Zimmer, 1962). Thus, in the Buddhist legend the future Buddha is said to have left Tusita heaven and was conceived by his mother Maya or Mahamaya in a dream who saw him descending from the heaven in the form of a white elephant. Sen (1972) observes that a similar type of legend is also connected with the birth of Mahavira whose mother, Trisala, is reported to have had a dream of a four-tusked elephant when she conceived the said saviour. But, as the elephant ultimately became the symbol of the Buddha who is said to have descended to the earth in the form of an “elephanta” “saddanta” according to tradition, it ceased to be a sign of conception for the common woman although it still remained the symbol of fecundation for the divine female. The elephant figures at Dhauli and Ashokajhara were intended to remind the people of the birth story of Gautama Buddha. In fact, the great stupa built at Dhauli by Buddhist monks from Japan in the early nineteen seventies depicts on its wall the dream of Mayadevi and the birth of Gautama Buddha. Thus, the elephant has been represented as raining clouds, the Vahana of Indra, fertility of crops, the conception of womanhood, the sign of fecundation of mother goddess and her Vahana, the guardian of quarters, the symbol of the sun and also of the Buddha and Mahavira.
The Plight of Asian Elephants between the Gods and Humans
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Srivastava, M.
Wherever elephants and people coexist, various interactions are inevitable. In Asia, elephants and humans have been in intensive contact for thousands of years so the significance of elephants to people has become more complex and unique than other parts of the world. Besides being hunted for food by pre-agricultural man, the elephants assumed a new significance to the agricultural man. It became a beast of burden, an instrument of war, an object of reverence, a status symbol, an agricultural pest, and a resource to be exploited for the beauty of its ivory. The elephant in Asia embodies great metaphysical importance and is considered unique among other domestic animals. Traditionally for over 3,000 years, Asian elephants have been driven to other areas or captured and trained for use in work, ceremony, and war. Perhaps 100,000 wild elephants were captured over the last century with estimates of two to four million captured throughout the history of domestication. Asian cultures recognize the Asian elephant as a symbolic animal. Elephants often symbolize wisdom, strength, and sacredness as the largest land animal. They are considered to be charismatic, wise, majestic, brave, and patient in Asian cultures; there are thousands of stories about elephants. As cultural and natural heritages, elephants played important roles in the history and life of both the religious and ruling communities, as well as in legends and folklore of society in general. Examples include historical and religious documents as well as relief sculptures on the walls of ruins. The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), an endangered species listed in Appendix I of CITIES, is thought to number between 34,000 to 56,000 in thirteen Asian countries. Karnataka state in southern India supports a globally significant—and the country’s largest—population of the Asian elephant Elephas maximus. A reliable map of Asian elephant distribution and measures of spatial variation in their abundance, both vital needs for conservation and management action, are unavailable not only in Karnataka, but across its global range. There are several myths related to elephants in Indian literature. The most popular belief indicating the sign of conception in womanhood by the visit of a snake in her dream (traceable not only in India but also in different parts of the world with slight variations) was directly transferred to the elephant (Zimmer, 1962). Thus, in the Buddhist legend the Buddha is said to have left Tusita heaven and was conceived by his mother Maya or Mahamaya in a dream who saw him descending from the heaven in the form of a white elephant. Sen (1972) observes that a similar type of legend is also connected with the birth of Mahavira whose mother, Trisala, is reported to have had a dream of a four-tusked elephant when she conceived the said saviour. But, as the elephant ultimately became the symbol of the Buddha who is said to have descended to the earth in the form of an elephant saddanta according to tradition, it ceased to be a sign of conception for the common woman although it still remained the symbol of fecundation for the divine female.
Saathmari (साठमारी): A Unique Game of Elephant fighting
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Joshi, Y.; Mudgal, K.
Saathmari was a game of elephant fighting and was played during early 20th Century only in 2 princely states of India. These states were Baroda (Gujarat) and Kolhapur (Maharashtra). Origin of this game is obscure. As per records this game was very popular in Baroda state. Maharaja of Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Shahu, experienced the thrill of this game during his visit to Maharaja Sayajirao Gaikwad of Baroda and after experiencing thrill of it he started this game in his state as well. This game was usually played when adult males come in heat, and when the animal becomes aggressive and violent. If the male elephant is not aroused enough, he is fed alcohol. Players as well as the elephants were often severely injured in this sport. However this sport, 'Saathmari' was very popular among royalty as well as the masses. Saathmari was a sport introduced in Kolhapur in the year 1915. His Highness Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj built a separate stadium for this sport. Special tools required for the sport were also made by his artisans. Today no witnesses of this sport are alive. The stadium is still there and few tools can still be seen at the museum. The description of "Saathmari" can be read in biographies of H.H.Shahu Maharaj and H.H. Sayajirao Gaikwad, these records give us glimpse of this thrilling sport. We shall be trying to collect few paintings or photographs from local museums depicting "Saathmari" and references from the available official papers of erstwhile states of Kolhapur and Baroda.
Symbolism of Elephants in Buddhism and Hinduism
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Aslam, N.; Bukhari, M.F.
Elephants have been utilized in different cultural and religious depictions since the Stone Age. They are depicted on petroglyphs and inside caves and also represented through different methods of art and craft as well as sculptures, architecture, ivory crafts and ivory paintings. In different mythologies the elephant is a sacred animal. In Hinduism and Buddhism, the elephant has been a strong special power that has spiritual significance. In Hindu mythology, one acts as the custom vehicle of Lord Indra who is considered as the God of heaven and additionally Ganesha was offered his head by the elephant when he was once beheaded by his own angry father. Hence the elephant has the honour and respect and is therefore celebrated and worshipped by the Hindus of India. In Buddhism many symbols represent the Buddha, and in Buddhist iconography a white elephant is an albino elephant. The white color is a sign of purity and holiness in Buddhism. The elephant is commonly known for its power and wisdom, and white elephants also have the all these characteristics. Queen Maya the mother of Buddha also claimed that in a dream a white elephant flew in the air and inserted his trunk in her right side resulting in the birth of Buddha. The symbols of Buddhism means “Om Mani Padme Hum”. The lotus flower, dharma wheel, stupa and white elephant are common symbols which represent the presence of Buddha.
The Subspecies of Asian Elephants
(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Sumangala Thero, Pahiyangala
The subspecies of Asian elephants can be classified under three main categories. Thereby the endemic species to Sri Lanka is named as Elephant maximus maxim. Also the subspecies of elephants that spread in the Indian sub-peninsula and indo-china territory are known as Elephas maximus indicus. Also the third group that spreads in a specific area of Sumatra Island is called Elephas maximus sumatranus. There is no considerable difference between the subspecies of Asian and African elephants. Adapting to various environmental factors from the edge of the west of South-East and Asian regions depends on its intensive characteristics arisen in the region. Two subspecies can be identified in Sri Lanka situated in the edge of the western region and Sumatra Island which is situated in the edge of the eastern region. Elephants that inhabit Sri Lanka and South India have the darkest and biggest auricles in their body. The spot spreads like depigmentation on their faces, auricles, trunk, feet and other parts in their body. Elephants who inhabit Sumatra and South Malesia have a small scale of body with light colour. Their auricles are smaller than other Asian elephants and depigmentation can be seen to an extent. The scale, colour, depigmentation and the scale of auricles of elephants in India, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Kambojiya between the edge of east and western regions have middle characteristics in above mentioned species. The Japanese elephant (Elephs maximus maximus rubridens) resembles elephants of Sri Lanka and it is also a subspecies of Asian elephants. These species merely date back 30000 years.