A tribute to the tusker

Published on January 27, 2008

Elephant Kingdom: Sculptures from Indian Architecture
By Vikramajit Ram
Published by Mapin Publishing
Available at Asia Books, Kinokuniya Books and B2S, Bt1,595
Reviewed by Manote Tripathi

The Nation

As India's pachyderm population declines, there's a nostalgic yearning for the long-lost mystique of this noble vehicle, which once transported the maharajas into battle but is now left ferrying tourists up and down hills.

Whatever their fate, Indian elephants - including the famous Airavatha, the god Indra's four-tusked white elephant - will ultimately survive in stone sculptures.

Vikramajit Ram, an independent designer and writer based in Bangalore, captures all that defines the beast's glorious past, as immortalised in sculptures found in ancient sacred and royal edifices of different faiths.

A visual feast, the book features a lavish collection of photographs of sculptures from classic epics that embellish different archaeological sites the author has visited.

Spanning more than 2,000 years, the examples include chapels and monasteries, stupas, temples, palaces and cenotaphs across the country.

To illustrate the elephant's ill-conceived transformation from a noble vehicle of the gods to its present sorry state as a tourist draw, the author explains the stories and meanings behind its depictions in sacred art.

As the photos reveal, the beast's central role in royal life led to its ubiquitous appearance in the sculpture that dominates much of Indian architecture.

It's worth noting that the artisans and artists of eastern and southern India, many of whom remain anonymous, showed the greatest respect to the animal simply because much of the elephant population was found in the jungles in these regions.

But with the jungles shrinking to almost nothing, this book serves a timely reminder of the elephant's historic value for its bravery - and its companionship.