Lower part of Sumeree temple at Ramnugger before 1869

This photograph by Samuel Bourne captures the lower section of the Sumeree Temple at Ramnugger, likely in the late 19th century. The panels are filled with sculpted decorations, and among them the elephant appears prominently. The elephant, or Gaja, emerges as a potent symbol. In ancient Hindu iconography, Gaja is associated with royalty, power, and auspicious beginnings. Yet, the elephant's symbolic journey extends far beyond India. We find its echoes in the story of Hannibal crossing the Alps, a symbol of strength and the exotic, later mirrored in the Renaissance pageantry. In a psychoanalytic light, the elephant is a powerful emblem of memory, evoking a sense of the archaic and the instinctual, resonating with the viewer on a subconscious level. Observe how this symbol—rooted in ancient beliefs—reappears, transformed, echoing through time, revealing our shared cultural memory.