I’ll repeat the comment I left at your friend’s blog since that’s where I grew-up:
That’s where we lived as Missionaries, in Orissa. There used to be herds of elephants there – we saw domesticated ones all the time working in the forests.
In ancient times when the region was known as Kalinga. Ashoka the Great fought a war (263-5BC or so) to unify India and subdue the last area of resistance to his rule – an area that had never been conquered before.
Local resistance was fierce and fought with troops of hundreds of elephants.
“The royal city of the Calingae is called Parthalis. Over their king 60,000 foot-soldiers, 1,000 horsemen, 700 elephants keep watch and ward in “procinct of war.” (Megasthenes fragm. LVI. in Plin. Hist. Nat. VI. 21. 8-23. 11.[7])
Following the war Ashoka renounced fighting and became a Buddhist.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:06 pm
I’ll repeat the comment I left at your friend’s blog since that’s where I grew-up:
That’s where we lived as Missionaries, in Orissa. There used to be herds of elephants there – we saw domesticated ones all the time working in the forests.
In ancient times when the region was known as Kalinga. Ashoka the Great fought a war (263-5BC or so) to unify India and subdue the last area of resistance to his rule – an area that had never been conquered before. Local resistance was fierce and fought with troops of hundreds of elephants. “The royal city of the Calingae is called Parthalis. Over their king 60,000 foot-soldiers, 1,000 horsemen, 700 elephants keep watch and ward in “procinct of war.” (Megasthenes fragm. LVI. in Plin. Hist. Nat. VI. 21. 8-23. 11.[7]) Following the war Ashoka renounced fighting and became a Buddhist.
December 21st, 2009 at 5:49 pm
You’re suggesting the story might not be entirely factual? Elephants lie?
December 21st, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Elephants never forget. Surely that is an essential quality for those doling out karma.
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Indeed, I always thought Babar had the qualities of a fine barkeep.
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Hehehehhehe.