| The elephant is one of the mammals that have | | | | armies. The elephants were trained to move into |
| endeared itself the most to man. It also can be | | | | battle to the accompaniment of drums and trumpets. |
| domesticated and particularly in SE Asia and India in | | | | Conch shells were also blown as the battle began.The |
| particular the elephant has a pivotal position. Right | | | | elephants thus went into battle with their mahouts on |
| from ancient times the elephant has been used by | | | | top to shock and scare the enemy armies. The |
| man for a variety of purposes. From temple worship | | | | commander in chief normally mounted an elephants |
| to carrying logs the elephant has proved its utility. | | | | and directed the battle. |
| One of the uses to which an elephant was put was | | | | Over the centuries many thousands of elephants |
| as an instrument of war. This was probably because | | | | have died in battle. The elephant was a successful |
| of the abundance of the elephant in SE Asia.There | | | | instrument of war till it faced swift units of cavalry. |
| was a time when the elephant population was close | | | | The Turks and Arabs had armed archers moving on |
| to a million and large herds roamed the jungles of the | | | | swift horses. These hordes could circle the elephants |
| sub continent. | | | | and generally created havoc in the elephant corps of |
| A corollary of this abundance of the elephant and the | | | | the Hindu kings. In essence by relying on the elephant |
| fact that it was a large beast led to it being | | | | the Hindu generals and armies sacrificed mobility an |
| incorporated in the armies of the Hindu kings. Even | | | | important aspect of warfare. |
| foreign invaders like the Turks who entered India | | | | The elephants also were susceptible to turn back and |
| from the passes of the North West were soon | | | | retreat against gun powder and canon barrage. This |
| swayed by the elephant and its grandeur and | | | | was the reason for the defeat of Ibrahim Lodhi at |
| inducted it into their armies. The Hindu kings adapted | | | | the hands of Babar in the first battle of Panipat in |
| the elephant as part of their armies. | | | | 1526. Lodhis elephants were confronted by |
| The elephants were specially trained and equipped | | | | gunpowder and cannon fire and they were thus |
| for their role as the spear head of the Hindu armies. | | | | unable to carry out the massed charge and resulted |
| The elephant was used as a shock weapon and a | | | | in the route of Ibrahim lodhi's force. |
| massed charge could bring about terrifying results for | | | | However it is worth noting that India was the first |
| the opponents. The Greeks under Alexander had | | | | country to adapt the elephant as a part of the |
| their first taste of the elephant in the battle of | | | | military arsenal. Records suggest that the elephant |
| Hydespades against the Hindu king Porus.The Greeks | | | | was the mainstay of the Hindu army's right from |
| faced about 200 elephants and it was a terrifying | | | | 1500 BC. Their use continued right through the ages |
| sight.Selecus who led the charge of cavalry against | | | | and ended only in 1800 AD. India was the first nation |
| the elephants was impressed by them and | | | | to use the elephant in battle (~1500BC) and the last |
| incorporated them in the Greek armies as well. | | | | nation to stop using it. Generally the elephants from |
| The Hindu kings and generals' strategy centered on | | | | the southern part of the sub-continent were thought |
| massive elephant forces. Chandragupta Maura who | | | | to be the fiercest and were much prized. The |
| earlier defeated the Greek Selecus (He married his | | | | elephants of the Hindu kings were heavily armored. |
| daughter after that), Bindusar and Raja Harsha had | | | | On their back there was a box like structure in which |
| large corps of elephant troops. Kautaliya estimates | | | | one to six warriors sat with bows and arrows which |
| that Chandragupta had an elephant corps of 21000. | | | | were rained on the opponents when the elephants |
| These were decisive in battle in that period and the | | | | charged. Sometimes the elephants were trained by |
| rulers could enforce their will on the sub continent | | | | the mahouts to weld swords which were attached |
| through the elephant as the head of their military | | | | to their trunks. During a charge the elephants swung |
| strategy. | | | | forward welding their swords.It must have been a |
| In any battle plan the Hindu generals placed the | | | | frightening scene heightened with the beat of drums |
| elephant corps in the front and they were flanked by | | | | and the blare of trumpets and conch shells. One can |
| infantry and cavalry. The excessive reliance on the | | | | only visualize it in the present age. The Hindu generals |
| elephant resulted in a comparative neglect of the | | | | made elaborate plans for the deployment of |
| cavalry. The Hindus were to pay dearly later in | | | | elephants. |
| battles with the Turks for this oversight. | | | | The use of the elephant slowly petered down in the |
| The elephants of the Hindu armies were looked after | | | | middle of the nineteenth century.Maharaja Ranjit |
| in a royal manner. Trained Mahouts looked after the | | | | Singh the Sikh ruler of Punjab had an elephant corps |
| elephants. Special arrangements were made for their | | | | to move his cannons during the middle of the |
| diet of bananas and sugar cane. They were also | | | | ninteenth century. But all this is now a part of history |
| decorated with ornate armor made of steel. The | | | | for scholars to study and the people to cherish, what |
| elephants were also regularly scrubbed, washed and | | | | was a glorious era in Indian Hindu king's military |
| cared for as they had pride of place in the Hindu | | | | history. |
