The elephant is considered a sacred animal in the Hindu culture. We Hindus worship and are protecting elephants for years. The significance of elephant in Indian culture is widespread.
If you look into Indian history and mythology, you can see a lot of Rajmahals (Palaces) or Empires, and temples have immensely beautiful elephant designs. Even in the time of Mahabharat, a whole kingdom of Kauravas was named after an elephant- Hastinapur.
As a Hindu, thinking about the elephant or god of elephant, the name that comes into our mind is Ganesha– the lord of wisdom and knowledge. Because of his elephant-head, he gets worshiped.
According to Hindu mythology, a lot of God and Goddesses are associated with elephants. Lord Vishwakarma and Goddess Laxmi have elephants as their prime vehicle. The god of elephants is Airavata– a flying white elephant and Lord Inda mounts on him.
Especially in South-India, elephant plays an important role in culture and rituals. In the grand festival Onam, south Indians celebrate a grand parade by the elephant marching.
Now, why do Indians worship elephants?
The elephant symbolizes strength, power, wisdom, loyalty, and patience. These majestic creatures represent royalty. People often make elephant-shaped sculptures, mandala art, etc. in honor of them.
Moreover, devotees worship the elephants to get strength and wisdom in return.
Feature Image Credit: Pinterest.