Elephant Fight

The pursuit, control and training of an elephant was a scene that must have been a frequent occurrence in the royal stables, but was particularly favoured by the artists of Bundi and Kotah. This is an unfinished drawing that shows the fight between the royal elephants with their mahout while the attendants in the foreground are trying to control them. A vivid description of the ways and means adopted to control such an elephant is given by Abu'lFazl in Ain-i-Akbari.
This painting is a graphic study of the elephants; their taut muscles curving and folding with their forceful movements, their forelegs raised to wrestle and trunks entangled. Both the elephants have broken the chains tied to their hind legs. The attendants hold burning sticks, known as charkha to frighten the animal. This special device is supposed to have been devised by Emperor Akbar. As the Ain mentions, “it is a piece of hollowed bamboo about half a yard long with a hole in the middle to fix the handle. It is covered with sinews and filled with gunpowder. There is an earthen partition dividing the powder into two halves. When it is fired at both ends, it turns round and makes a frightful sound. A bold man on foot takes the burning bamboo in his hand and holds it before the animal.”
It seems to be a favourite preoccupation of Bundi and Kotah artists to draw elephants in different moods. Several paintings of elephants with their names, masters name, etc. which have come to light testify this fact.