Hindu / Buddhist / Mughal

Elephant

In Hindu tradition, the elephant symbolizes strength, memory, wisdom, and royalty and is the vehicle of Ganesha and of Indra (the white elephant Airavata); in Buddhist tradition a white elephant heralded the Buddha's conception.

TraditionHindu / Buddhist / Mughal
SymbolVahana of Ganesha and Indra (Airavata); white elephant
DomainsConfidence · Abundance · Grounding
Provenance URLhttps://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/446266

Citation

Trautmann, Thomas R. "Elephants and Kings: An Environmental History." University of Chicago Press, 2015.

The stored image URL is treated as provenance only, not as a display license. Display art should be original or verified open access.

Explore sourcing notes in the Appendix