[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Les six voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier) › [Travels in India (Ball)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball) › 41.2.6 # Travels in India (Tavernier) 41.2.6 Travels in India (Ball) 41.2.6 - **Language:** English ### [41.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.41.2.6) The following morning, very early, we went to hunt with De Lan, and on returning, at eight or nine o’clock a.m., we went to the river’s bank to see how the elephants of the King and the great nobles are washed. The elephant enters the water up to the belly, and lying down on one side takes water from time to time in its trunk and throws it upon the uncovered portion of its body in order to wash it well. The keeper then takes a kind of pumicestone, and rubbing the skin cleans it of all the dirt which has accumulated, upon it. Some believe that when this animal lies on the ground it cannot get up by itself; this is quite contrary to what I have seen, for as soon as the keeper has rubbed it well on one side he orders it to turn on the other, which the elephant does promptly, and after it is well washed on both sides it leaves the river and remains for some time on the bank in order to dry itself. Then the keeper brings a pot full of red or yellow paint, and paints lines on its forehead, around the eyes, on the chest, and on the back, rubbing it then with cocoanut oil to strengthen the nerves, some keepers finally adding false tinsel on the forehead. - [Previous: 41.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.41.2.5) - [Next: 41.2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.41.2.7) - [Up: 41.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.41.2) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.41.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.41.2.6) · Pramāṇa