Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage Photo by Selva - Text by Siri
Elephants have always enjoyed a revered place in Sri Lanka's history. Some of the early sculptures, like the moonstones at old cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa feature elephants in various poses. The ancient kings who ruled these cities used elephants for their daily travel, and elephants were used exclusively to go to war. Buddhist Temples, and Hindu Kovils used elephants to carry sacred objects during parades. Even today, a majestic male elephant carries the Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha during the Kandy Esala Perahara.

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