International Conference on Asian Elephants in Culture & Nature
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Item “Animal Cruelty and the Public Opinion on using Elephants for Perahara”: Special Reference to Mahanuwara Dalada Perahara(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Herath, O.; Liyanage, D.Acts of violence or neglect perpetrated against animals are viewed as animal cruelty. Animal cruelty laws vary according to the state, and violations may constitute a crime or an offense, depending on the jurisdiction. In Sri Lanka, according to the Ordinance, it has been cited that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance can be implemented if any person who shall (a)cruelly beat, ill-treat, over-drive, over-ride, abuse, or torture, or cause or procure to be cruelly beaten, ill-treated, over-driven, over-ridden, abused, or tortured, any animal; (b) by any act or omission cause unnecessary pain or suffering to any animal; or (c) convey or carry, or cause to be conveyed or carried, in any ship, boat, canoe, or in any vehicle, basket, box, or cage, or otherwise, any animal in such manner or position as to subject such animal to unnecessary pain or suffering. On the other hand, when considering the use of elephants in the perahara the question seems to arise as to whether elephants are subjected to cruelty. So our main objective was to understand the public opinion regarding the use of elephants in the perahera. This research has been done with special reference to the Mahanuwara Dalada Perahara. Both primary and secondary data including questionnaires were used for this research. Questionnaires were distributed among 100 people randomly who were watching Mahanuwara Dalada Perahara in 2015. In addition, books, web sites, online magazines were taken as secondary data. Since the collected date was quantitative, data analysis has been done quantitatively. According to the findings, the majority of the people like to use elephants for Perahera. They do not agree with the idea that elephants are subject to cruelty or inhumane treatment because of the Perahera and they believed that elephants must be continuously used in the Perahera.Item A Crisis between Humans and Elephants: A Study of Conflict Resolution Methods taken to Mitigate Human-Elephant Conflict with Special Reference to Gampola Village, Sri Lanka(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Herath, O.The human-elephant conflict is a serious problem that Sri Lanka has faced for many years. It has existed since people started invading the habitats of elephants causing them to attack villages and areas where people live. Elephants live in their own space but as for humans, they clear forests and protected areas for wild life to get more lands to settle down ignoring the fact that it will result in the change of elephant habitats. This has led to the elephants turning violent often destroying cultivated land and attacking people leading to disability and more frequently, death. There are some steps taken to mitigate the conflict, but the issue is at the same level resulting in the suffering of both elephants and humans. The research problem addresses the question as to whether any effective steps are taken by the relevant authorities. The major objective of this research is to identify the methods that have been taken to mitigate the human-elephant conflict. This research was conducted primarily in the Gampola village (a village which belongs to Giribawa provincial secretariat division in the Kurunegala district) as a case study. Primary and secondary data have been used for this research including interviews and observation which are used as the main data collection methods. Thirty families were interviewed and observed. In addition, books, web sites, online magazines were taken as secondary data. Since the collected date were qualitative, data analysis has been done qualitatively. According to the findings of the research the government and the relevant authorities have taken some steps to protect both parties. Electric fences have been the traditional solution to the problem, but other alternatives have been used such as beehives, palmyrah fences and spiky lime to keep elephants away from human settlements. However, these steps have shown limited success and to this year there has been an allocation of Rs 4,000 million for the environment sector for three years, to resolve the human-elephant conflict and preserve Sri Lanka’s rich biodiversity. The Government is also seeking additional funds through a World Bank project interest-free loan of US$ 30 million; a large portion of the project’s funding is to initiate innovative programmes that would reduce human-wildlife conflict. Unfortunately, this issue hasn’t been adequately addressed by the authorities concerned due to several factors and according to the findings of the case study, the Gampola people are not satisfied with the steps taken because only an electric fence has been placed around the village and villagers continue to suffer with the issue.Item Traditional Ivory Crafts and Technology in Sri Lanka: A Historical and Technological Perspective(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Rambukwella, C.Firm evidence of ivory crafts and technology in Sri Lanka goes back to the pre-Christian era. Early Brahmi inscriptions and archaeological data provide information of ivory objects, craftsmen and craftsmanship in the country. The Vegiri Devale early Brahmi inscription of 3rd century BC situated near Kandy city in Sri Lanka mentioned the word Datika among other specific words such as Kubaraka (potter) and Manikara (lapidary -Gem cutter). According to Senerath Paranavitana, the word Datika is linked with ivory craft and the word itself means the ivory-worker. Historical sources, later documents and ethno- archaeological studies also provide many narratives of multi- purpose usage of ivory in Sri Lanka from ancient times to the recent past. In Sri Lanka the word ivory is used for elephants’ tusks only and not for the other tooth. Scarcity of the material led to high demand resulting in acquiring ivory as a prestigious symbol. Hence, the ivory tradition flourished in Sri Lanka and continued from 18th century feudalistic Kandiyan Kingdom to the British period and beyond. However, the traditional craftsmanship that was practiced genealogically and maintained a high standard ceased when the use of ivory was prohibited in Sri Lanka by imposed laws. Ancient ivory crafts specimens and records show that ivory crafts and technology used traditional methods and technologies in Sri Lanka until the recent past. This paper attempts to illustrate the traditional methods and the technologies used in the magnificent old tradition of ivory craft in Sri Lanka.Item Symbolism of Elephants in Buddhist Art and Religion(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Kejriwal, M.“It is better to live alone, there is no companionship with a fool; let a man walk alone, let him commit no sin (let him do) with few wishes, like an elephant in the forest.” - Buddha 330, Dhammapada Through theorising Buddhist teachings and the parable of elephants, one gets to know the value of elephants from a Buddhist perspective. In Asian culture, living symbols are a significant aspect of religion; the image of an elephant symbolizes wisdom and strength. The Asian elephants are admired for their memory power and intelligence. Symbols are not just a cultural creation but are the manifestation of mental creation, an inner vision, experienced at a much deeper level by Buddhists. In a Buddhist context symbolism represents certain aspects of Buddha dharma through Buddhist art. The Buddhists relate the symbolism to the karmic activity that manifests in the physical world. Elephants in Buddhism are regarded as one of the ratna of the seven royal ratna of Chakravartin King. These ratnas were used as symbols and motifs in the earliest Buddhist art of Amaravati and Nagarjunikonda stupas. Elephants in Buddhist art and religion if understood from the perspective of symbolism, carry intellectual intent apart from their socio-cultural, psychological and aesthetical aspects. This paper will be an attempt to explore the representation of elephants in Buddhist art and religion from the perspective of symbolism.Item Sustainable Elephant Safaris in Sigirya(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Sanatanie, K.A.S.The elephant safari is part of nature tourism and is mainly established in attractive places. We can recognize Sigiriya as an attraction for cultural tourism. So with that cultural background we can promote elephant back safaris through innovative means rather than traditional methods. The instant trails are very harmful to elephants. They are very sensitive creatures that play a major role in cultural events in Sri Lanka from the time of ancient Kings. So that is why they are animals that should be conserved. Even though we think that the domestic elephants live in a protective environment, it is not the truth as it is very harmful to them. A domestic elephant should be conserved as a rehabilitative human. When they are used as a tourism tool, they should not be separated from their native environments. The backpack buckets are made of steel. Indeed it is a pathetic situation. Some elephants are suffering from the wounds because of those iron buckets. On the other hand we must introduce cane or bulrush instead of steel to prepare buckets. We can also use mattresses to ensure that it is comfortable. My discussion is that the elephant safari must be enhanced as a sustainable concept. As a new concept the elephant safari can be joined with eco-tourism in order to ensure the sustainability of the elephant safari. It will promote the sustainable concept that Sigiriya Village people are joining with this event even this time. The objective of this paper is to highlight the importance of elephant safari in tourism while paying attention to the well being of the animals in such activities.Item Representation of the Elephant in Bengal Arts and Crafts(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Ray, D.Living in harmony with nature is an integral part of Indian culture, which has been reflected abundantly in the arts and crafts of every Indian province. Representation of animals in arts and crafts reflects its association with human life, symbolises human values, demonstrates the practices as well as creates a bonding that constitutes the ecosystem. Portraying various animal figures including the elephant is traced to the origin of Indian art by the pre-historic Hominid settlements in the 3rd millennium BCE (e.g. Indus Valley). These art and craft traditions have withstood the ravages of time and continue to flourish to date in every region of India with the assimilation of new materials to express new ideas. Bengal is known all over the world for its expertise in art and craft; its skill in architectural splendours to its excellent work on woodwork, terracotta, paintings, pith work, metal work, paper-pulps, clay-work, pottery and textile which are unparalleled. Most of these are products of the cottage industry in West Bengal. The elephant, which is native to the sub-Himalayan region covering the area of Bengal-Bihar-Assam—the three Indian States, is the most important aspect of wildlife along with the tiger and rhinoceros which are associated with the inhabitants of this region. The elephant is thus represented abundantly in the arts and crafts of Bengal to symbolise power and strength. The paper highlights the representation of the elephant in various indigenous arts and crafts of Bengal, which are unique to this region.Item The Effectiveness and the Scientific Background of the Elephant Mantra(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Mallawaarachchi, A.According to the traditional background of Sri Lanka, there are a lot of folk stories regarding elephants. A thousand years ago and today people use spiritual practices to control elephants. Specially the elephant mantras are used to catch elephants for various duties, to chase them and to gain work from them. This elephant mantra was a prime fact in our ancient people. Is there any scientific background to the elephant mantras and if yes what is their effectiveness is the research problem. There is no scientific background of the elephant mantras was the hypothesis of this study. This research has been done mainly based on Kurunegala district as a case study and both primary and secondary data have been used for this research whereas interviews and observation referred to primary data collection methods. To collect primary data 30 people were interviewed and observed. In addition, books, web sites, online magazines were taken as secondary data. Since the collected date were qualitative, data analysis has been done qualitatively. According to the findings of the research there is no any scientific background for the elephant mantras. People are using them as their spiritual beliefs.Item The Elephant in Gautam Buddha’s Life, Jatakas and their Depiction in Sculptures and Paintings(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Mudgal, K.; Joshi, Y.There were two major events in Gautam Buddha’s life in which the elephant had a prominent role. The first event was related to Gautam Buddha’s birth and the second one was his miracle at Rajgriha. Jatakas are the stories of previous births of Gautam Buddha. Before he received the Bodhi (Great Enlightenment) he was born in many births in different forms like a king, elephant, monkey, etc. After passing through these various births finally he was Enlightened. In these Jatakas, Gautam Buddha appears as a Bodhisatva. These Jataka stories are used by Gautam Buddha’s disciple to spread their Dhamma. There are a lot of Jataka stories in which Bodhisatva had been born as an elephant or an elephant is the main character in those stories. These two events in Gautam Buddha’s life and Jataka tales are depicted in the forms of sculptures and paintings at many Buddhist monuments in India as well as countries where Bauddha Dhamma reached like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Siam etc. In this paper we shall take a collective review of various art forms where the above mentioned stories are used as themes.Item Association of Elephants with Goddess Lakshmi: Myth, Ritual, and Temples(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Sankrityayan, N.K.Myths encapsulate what societies have envisaged of as sacred, and they articulate the manner in which the sacred is understood in that society. The paper tries to look on those myths associated with the goddess Lakshmi, which will help us understand her conceptualization, what she signifies and how vital she is to the cosmology visualized by brahmanical texts that were written over centuries. Lakshmi, like other deities, does not inhabit a world entirely of her own, she has to be studied in relation to other gods and goddesses and the various symbols associated with her. The symbols which are particular objects and attributes connected with Lakshmi lend character to her persona. A very common image of Lakshmi is one in which she is flanked by elephants who pour pots of water on her. This act of performing abhisheka is essential to constituting and reaffirming royal authority. At the popular level, a number of Jataka stories reflect some commonly held cultural perceptions about the elephant. The association of elephants with prosperity and with kingship is equally significant. Elephants are also associated with grandeur as can be seen in the Buddhist myth of Mahamaya. How important elephants are to the Hindu divine pantheon will be analysed through her association with Lakshmi. Images of Lakshmi, mostly accompanied by elephants on either side, have often been found on the lintels of temples, doors and gateways across the subcontinent, as prescribed in texts on art and architecture. The paper will discuss iconographic representation of Lakshmi as Gajalakshmi in the Chalukya temples in particular architectural spaces.Item Representation of Elephant in Hoysala Temples: with Reference to Hoysaleshwara Temple of Halebidu(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Chavan, S.M.The temples built between 11th and 14th centuries by the Hoysala rulers exhibit intricate sculptures and freezes in stone as a part of its architecture. Being extremely stylistic, they belong to Karnataka a state in the southern part of India. Some of the temples of this period include the temples at Belavadi, Amruthapura, Hosaholalu, Mosale, Arasikere etc. Some of the important ones are marked as Chennakesava Temple at Belur, the Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebid and the Keshava Temple at Somanathpura. The temples dedicated to Shiva or Vishnu the two main deities of the Hindu pantheon placed in the sanctum sanctorum with a circumambulatory passage, the outer portion unfolds on a unique plan with projections and recesses in the external walls. The temple walls are richly covered with intricately carved sculptures with themes of different forms of the Hindu gods and goddesses, along with stylised animal figures and exquisitely decorative patterns of flora and fauna. The Hoysaleswara temple is well known for its sculptures that run all along the outer wall, starting with a dancing image of the elephant god Ganesha on the left side of the south entrance and ending with another image of Ganesha on the right hand side of the north entrance. There are also good examples of the elephants sculpted on the walls, represented as the vehicle of Indra and as the demon Gajasura who is slayed by Shiva. Other interesting representations of the elephant are elephant flanked by the steps of parapets that lead to the temple as also represented as part of the freezes of the temple walls. The present paper proposes to study the elephant images presented in the Hoysaleshwara temple of Halebidu, along with its characteristic form, and it would also analyse the symbolic representations.