THE WAR ELEPHANT-
Elephants are associated with hindus since ancient times. Ramayana and Mahabharat mentions Use of Elephants in war. According to the Ramayan Airawat’s mother was Iravati. other legend says Airavata come out from churning the ocean (samundra manthan) .
Elephants are associated with hindus since ancient times. Ramayana and Mahabharat mentions Use of Elephants in war. According to the Ramayan Airawat’s mother was Iravati. other legend says Airavata come out from churning the ocean (samundra manthan) .
The king of Gods and chief Vedic deity Indra is depicted as riding Airavata a mythological elephant when in went to combat and defeated Vrita. King Prithu made Airavata king of all elephants.
The ancient Indian Mahabharat elaborately depicts elephant warfare. They are recognized as an essential component of royal and military processions. In ancient India, the army was fourfold (chaturangna), consisting of infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariots.
A war elephant is an elephant that is trained and guided by humans for combat. The war elephant's main use was to charge the enemy to break their ranks and instill terror and fear in them.
According to Kauṭilya's #Arthaśāstra
ELEPHANTS are classified into 4 kinds in accordance with Karma bheda/training [कर्मस्कन्धाः चत्वारः]
which is tameable (दम्यः)
That which is trained for war (सान्नाह्यः)
That which is trained for riding (औपवाह्यः)
Rogue elephant (व्यालः)
ELEPHANTS are classified into 4 kinds in accordance with Karma bheda/training [कर्मस्कन्धाः चत्वारः]
which is tameable (दम्यः)
That which is trained for war (सान्नाह्यः)
That which is trained for riding (औपवाह्यः)
Rogue elephant (व्यालः)
It is widely accepted that use of elephant in warfare began in ancient India. The first elephant species to be tamed was the Asian elephant. Elephant taming may have begun in other places also but oldest evidence comes from the Indus Valley Civilization around roughly 2000 BC
Elephants were captured from the wild it was a difficult task but a necessary one given the difficulties of breeding in captivity and the long time required for an elephant to reach sufficient maturity to engage in battle.
Elephant was multipurpose animal in battle, to prevent a charge or to conduct one of their own, to shoot arrows in the middle of the battlefield, from which more targets could be seen & engaged. Their sheer size and their terrifying appearance made them valued heavy cavalry.
they could carry heavy materiel. Elephants could provide a safe and stable platform for archers Elephants were sometimes further enhanced with their own weaponry and armour as well
More to come on next thread.
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