Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) launched Project Gaja-Lok: Elephant Lands and their Cultural Symbolism in Asia, a pioneering transnational culture-nature initiative focusing on the deep cultural, historical, ecological and climate-resilience relationship between Asian elephants and humans across Asia.
The project highlights elephants as revered cultural icons, ecological guardians, and symbols of coexistence, fostering multi-country collaboration.
About Project Gaja-Lok
| Feature | Details |
| Launched by | Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) |
| Focus | Documenting cultural, spiritual, ecological and historical significance of Asian elephants |
| Programme type | Transnational culture-nature and heritage conservation initiative |
| Location | INTACH HQ, New Delhi |
| Launch Event | Public Exhibition + Gaja-Lok Roundtable Conference |
| Stakeholders | Leading scholars, ecologists, cultural historians, heritage experts from India & abroad |
| Outcome Document | Gaja-Lok Dossier – Supports transnational recognition of elephant-linked heritage |
Key Objectives
- Preserve cultural and ecological heritage linked to Asian elephants
- Document millennia-old human-elephant interactions
- Promote climate resilience & ethical coexistence
- Strengthen transnational dialogue on heritage & wildlife conservation
Gaja-Lok Exhibition
Displays artifacts and visual archives from multi-civilizational timelines, including:
- Indus Valley seals, Bharhut railings, ancient sculptures
- Konark Sun Temple war elephant statues
- Gajalakshmi depictions
- Southeast Asian masterpieces (Pre-Angkor Ganesha, Thai Sukhothai elephant structures)
- Historical manuscripts, royal chronicles & ceremonial traditions
- Contemporary conservation narratives from Nepal & South India
The exhibition demonstrates elephants as symbols of power, wisdom, prosperity, protection, and ecological harmony.
Gaja-Lok Roundtable Conference
Discussion themes include:
- History of human-elephant coexistence
- Contemporary ecological challenges & habitat fragmentation
- Ethical conservation & climate-linked adaptation
- Cross-border heritage research collaborations
Output- contributes to Gaja-Lok Dossier for global recognition.
About INTACH
| Key Facts | Details |
| Founded | 1984 |
| HQ | New Delhi |
| Status | Non-profit organization |
| Legal Registration | Societies Registration Act, 1860 |
| Focus | Conservation of India’s tangible & intangible heritage, natural and cultural heritage |
| Network | Chapters across India & internationally |
| Nature of Work | Heritage conservation, documentation, public awareness, preservation projects, ICH programs |
Asian Elephant Conservation
| Parameter | Details |
| Scientific Name | Elephas maximus |
| Status (IUCN) | Endangered |
| WPA 1972 | Schedule-I |
| CITES | Appendix-I |
| India’s Natural Heritage Animal | Asian Elephant |
| Gestation | 22 months |
| Average Lifespan | 48 years |
| Weight | 3,000-6,000 kg |
| Height | Male: up to 9 ft, Female: up to 7.9 ft |
| Population (Global) | 50,000–60,000 |
| India’s Share | ~60% of global population |
| Highest Population State | Karnataka – 6,049 elephants |
| Next Highest | Assam – 5,719; Kerala – 3,054 |
| Elephant Reserves in India | 33 |
| Latest Reserve | Terai Elephant Reserve, Uttar Pradesh |
Distribution Areas in India
- North-East India
- Central India
- North-West India
- South India
Elephant Census
- Conducted every 5 years by Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
- Methods:
- Direct head count
- Indirect dung count
- Waterhole method
- DNA profiling
- Camera traps
- Mark-recapture statistical modelling
Significance of Initiative
- Strengthens cultural-ecological conservation model
- Promotes community-based coexistence solutions
- Supports climate resilience and biodiversity protection
- Enhances India’s leadership in heritage diplomacy