| There is no doubt and western historians accept the | | | | temples at Madumalai near Coimbatore in South India |
| fact the Hindu civilization is perhaps the oldest in the | | | | has a very colorful pageant in which the elephant |
| world. It predates by almost 4500 years the Christian | | | | form part of temple ceremony. |
| era, which really starts with the birth of Christ. Equally | | | | Just as we have stud farms for Horses in South India |
| accepted is the fact that the elephant is closely | | | | so do the Hindus have elephant farms. The largest of |
| interwoven in Hindu ethos and culture. The elephant | | | | them is attached to the Guruvayoor temple at |
| has been used as an instrument of war and also as a | | | | Madumalai which has almost 50 elephants. The |
| herald for temple worship. This fascination of the | | | | elephants are reared in a special environment and are |
| Hindu with the elephant has to be understood in the | | | | taught the temple rituals.It is really a sight to see the |
| context of one of the prominent Hindu Gods Ganesh | | | | elephants going in procession in pair to pay their |
| having a trunk as a nose. In addition the abundance | | | | obeisance to the deity. The festival of Ganesh |
| of the elephant during all periods of history to the | | | | Chaturthi which lasts for a week is spectacle worth |
| present day is also a factor that has made the | | | | seeing. Many tourists from the western world come |
| elephant a distinct part of Hindu culture. | | | | to see this temple worship by elephants. Elephants |
| The ancient Indian epic the Mahabharata makes the | | | | are part of temple ceremonies all over South |
| first mention of the elephant as an instrument of | | | | India.The state of kerela alone has about 500 |
| war. The battle between the Pandavas and the | | | | elephants attached to temples for worship. |
| kauravas on the plains of kuruskshetra a town about | | | | The elephants normally come in procession and enter |
| 100 miles from Delhi is the first recorded use of the | | | | the temple in pairs. They are decked with ornate |
| elephant as a part of military arsenal. Subsequently | | | | jewelry and move to the accompaniment of music |
| the elephant became the main stay of Hindu armies. | | | | and devotional songs with the beating of drums and |
| The commander in chief usually went to battle | | | | blowing of conch shells. The elephants on approaching |
| mounted on an elephant. The elephant was a decisive | | | | the deity kneel down and then carry on.It is a tribute |
| element in battles fought on plains and without gun | | | | to the trainers that the elephants can be so trained |
| powder. It must be recorded that the Hindus were | | | | that they become part of the pageant and take part |
| the first to use the elephant for war and the last to | | | | in worship of the Gods. |
| discard it as well. | | | | This all looks fine but there is another side to the |
| Hindu religion also greatly reveres the 'elephant God | | | | coin. A great many elephants are kept chained and |
| 'Ganesh.He was a son of Lord Shiva, one of the | | | | not looked after properly. The mahouts are generally |
| principle Hindu Gods. Ganesh Chaturthi which is the | | | | untrained and are prone to consume drugs. This |
| birth day of the god is celebrated with great gusto all | | | | reflects on the treatment of the elephants. I do feel |
| over India particularly in the southern and western | | | | the Hindu love for the elephant has to be translated |
| part of the country. The elephant is so much a part | | | | to their better up keep and looking after. Can we |
| of Hindu religion that they are also used in temple | | | | expect animal rights activists and the Government to |
| ceremonies. This is very much in vogue in the Hindu | | | | intervene? |
| temples of South India. The most famous of the | | | | |