“An elephant mounted by a king is radiant; a king mounted on an elephant is resplendent,” proclaims one historical manuscript ... elephant tug-of-war, and an elephant beauty contest.

Thomas Ward's was heavily engaged in war activities. There was a shortage of horses which had been sent to the Front and in 1916 Ward leased an elephant (and a man to look after it) from a circus.

The Supreme Court's recent remark that using elephants in temple celebrations is part of our culture highlights how selectively we understand culture. Yes, elep ...