Culture and society
Elephants have had and continue to have an important role in the culture across South Asia. While their uses have changed during the millennia - from war and construction to present-day tourist rides - a wide variety of elephant uses continues today.
Cultural and religious significance
The sacred texts and teachings of Islam, as well as those of Buddhists and Hindus, each contain aspects referring to elephants. In Buddhism, the elephant symbolises mental strength and responsibility. The Quran recounts how a war elephant called Mahmud refused to enter Mecca and prevented it from being conquered, which is why the year when the Prophet Muhammad was born is known as the Year of the Elephant.
Among Hindus, the elephant-headed god Ganesha is one of the most cherished gods. In the Western world, this is sometimes interpreted as if elephants are worshipped. Actually the reverence is for the god, and living elephants could be decribed as one of the tools for getting closer to the deity. But as in any faith, there is diversity among devotees, and some revere elephants more directly. For example in India, some members of the public have explained in televised discussions that seeing people sitting on elephants is offending to their religious feelings. To this day, the special bond with elephants still has great significance.