white elephant

A white elephant (also albino elephant) is a rare kind of elephant, but not a distinct species. Although often depicted as snow white, their skin is typically a soft reddish-brown, turning a light pink when wet. They have fair eyelashes and toenails. The traditional "white elephant" is commonly misunderstood as being albino, but the Thai term chang samkhan, actually translates as 'auspicious elephant', being "white" in terms of an aspect of purity. , Myanmar has ten white elephants. The king of Thailand also keeps a number of white elephants, eleven of which are still alive . Religious significance Hinduism In Hindu puranas, the vehicle or mount of god Indra (Sakra in the Buddhist pantheon) is the white elephant named Airāvata, which possesses the ability to fly. Airāvata emerged when the universe was created by the churning of the Ocean of Milk by the demons and the gods. Consequently, Airāvata is depicted as a sacred white elephant, typically with four tusks in India and sometimes with five heads in Southeast Asia. The white elephant is referred to as Shrī Gāja, Megha, or Gāja Lakshmī when worshipped as a divine being.