Thai Elephants and Its Significant to Thai Culture and History
Thai Elephants and its significant to Thai Culture and History
The elephant, the giant size animal with enormous power and gentle heart, is a living creature that have special place in Thai’s heart. It has been the icon of Thai tradition, culture and royal power through centuries since the old Siam. The thousand and thousand years of relationship between Thai people and elephants are even recorded and can be found abundantly on the pages of Thai’s historical book. Because of their long association, it surely can be said that Thailand is to elephants and elephants is to Thailand. The elephant has been an integral part of Thailand’s history and culture through both good time and war time. It is a symbol of tradition, history, royal, fortune and superstition. According to Buddhist legend, Queen Maya of Sakya, Lord Buddha’s mother, was dreamed that a divine Bodhisattva on white elephant touched her side. Later she became pregnant. This is why elephants are place in high esteem and reverence to Thai people, and white elephants are representing as high dignity and majesty. Therefore, the white elephant was a national emblem on Siam’s national flag. Moreover, the elephants are on Thai’s stamps, Navy flag, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, coins, architectures, Buddhist art, temples and many more. The country annually celebrates the 13th of March as Elephant Day.
In general, elephants are the largest land animal that exists now. They are great in size with enormous strength, intelligent, and gentle creature. Elephants are highly socialized animals. They live in forests, grassland and scrub with their family herds and friends. The life span of elephants is closely equal to human beings, approximately 70-100 years. The elephant’s gestation period is between 18 to 22 months. Elephants become sexually mature at the age of 16 as their early teens. A mature male elephant of age 20 is usually stay in pairs or a group of three. There is a hierarchy in elephant, the
The elephant, the giant size animal with enormous power and gentle heart, is a living creature that have special place in Thai’s heart. It has been the icon of Thai tradition, culture and royal power through centuries since the old Siam. The thousand and thousand years of relationship between Thai people and elephants are even recorded and can be found abundantly on the pages of Thai’s historical book. Because of their long association, it surely can be said that Thailand is to elephants and elephants is to Thailand. The elephant has been an integral part of Thailand’s history and culture through both good time and war time. It is a symbol of tradition, history, royal, fortune and superstition. According to Buddhist legend, Queen Maya of Sakya, Lord Buddha’s mother, was dreamed that a divine Bodhisattva on white elephant touched her side. Later she became pregnant. This is why elephants are place in high esteem and reverence to Thai people, and white elephants are representing as high dignity and majesty. Therefore, the white elephant was a national emblem on Siam’s national flag. Moreover, the elephants are on Thai’s stamps, Navy flag, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, coins, architectures, Buddhist art, temples and many more. The country annually celebrates the 13th of March as Elephant Day.
In general, elephants are the largest land animal that exists now. They are great in size with enormous strength, intelligent, and gentle creature. Elephants are highly socialized animals. They live in forests, grassland and scrub with their family herds and friends. The life span of elephants is closely equal to human beings, approximately 70-100 years. The elephant’s gestation period is between 18 to 22 months. Elephants become sexually mature at the age of 16 as their early teens. A mature male elephant of age 20 is usually stay in pairs or a group of three. There is a hierarchy in elephant, the