Over the past decades the field of ‘animal studies’ has emerged, running in parallel with other counter-hegemonic disciplines such as women’s studies. The academic disciplines have observed a significant shift towards incorporating animals as central subjects and utilising new sources in historical writing. It predominantly resides within the realm of social or socio-environmental history. Animals serve real, relatable characters, allowing people to learn through their experiences. The Panchatantra exemplifies the significance of animals in folklore and oral traditions. The oral transmission of these takes across generations underscores the ensuring impact of animals in cultural narratives. War, often viewed through the lens of human conflict, focuses on human casualties, strategies and outcomes. However, it’s essential to recognise the silent sacrifices of animals, particularly horses, during wartime. These noble creatures played crucial roles in battles throughout history. Their sufferings, wounds, exhaustion, and traumatization often go unnoticed.
Was the Horse known to Prehistoric Indians?
Horses hold immense importance as an equine species and have played a significant role in human civilization. The presence or absence of the horse in India has been an ongoing debate. Several archaeologists have reported horse remains from India’s prehistoric sites. Sites like Mahagara (Uttar Pradesh), Koldihwa and Hellur (in Karnataka) yielded horse fossils. Horse remains were reported at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, although mostly from later levels. In 1962, Bhola Nath documented the first record of true horse remains from the site of Harappa. He also certified the identification of a horse tooth at Lothal. A. K. Sharma’s identification of horse remains at Surkotada in Kachchh was significant. Sandor Bokonyi confirmed these bones and teeth as “remnants of true horses” distinguishing them from local wild-ass remains. Despite Bökönyi’s verification, the presence of horses in the Harappan civilization is still debated, with some scholars questioning the interpretation of the remains and others considering the possibility that horses were present only in peripheral areas or during the later phases of the civilization. Rig Veda uses the word asva over 200 times. Scholars have frequently assumed that the term “asva” in the Rigveda refers to horses. Sri Aurobindo suggested that “asva” originally conveyed strength or speed before being associated with horses (Aurobindo 2001, 277).
Ashwamedha Yagya: the Royal Ritual
What is Ashvamedha? Usha Choudhury interpreted the Ashvamedha on the macrocosmic lines, the Sun is called Ashvamedha due to its yearly circuit. At another place it is said that it is the moon. Again the king who is described as the creator of the Ashvamedha, is also identified with the Ashvamedha. In simple terms, Ashvamedha is a ritual where a king would perform horse sacrifice to celebrate his paramountcy. This ritual is detailed in Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, and Mahabharata’s Ashwamedha Parva. But why kill a horse? Choudhury states that, here the dawn, the sun, the wind, the fire, the year, the sky, the space, the earth, and the stars, are all delineated as different parts of the sacrificial horse that is a symbol of force or energy. The horse central to the ritual, serves as a sacrificial offering to appease the overseeing deity Prajapati. Traditionally it was performed after wars to mitigate environmental pollution and psychological impact, restoring natural balance (Saxena 2024, 10).
Ashwamedha coins issued by Samudragupta
The Gupta dynasty’s inscriptions( The Poona Plate Inscriptions) issued during Samudragupta and Chandragupta II, provide historical data regarding the Ashvamedha Yagna. Both rulers issued Ashvamedha Coins during their reigns. Samudragupta revived the Ashvamedha Yagna and also issued coins after conducting the Ashvamedha Yagna. Notably, at Khairigarh Uttar Pradesh, a horse sculpture is believed to represent the horse of Ashvamedha Yagya by Samudragupta (Jha, D.N. Early India; A concise History).
The Horse Trade in India
Horses were the primary means of transportation, accessible mainly to the wealthy. Ownership of a horse underscored a person’s aristocratic status. Arabian horses, much like the mythical Ucchaisravas, were prized treasures in India. These seaborne horses from the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea were sought after for their elite status, and used by kings and generals for hunting, racing, and polo. However, their journey to India was far from sublime. Packed tightly on ships with reserves of feed and water, the horses endured a grueling voyage, and often bled before departure to keep them tame. Ports like Dabhol on the Konkan coast became bustling hubs for these Arabian and Persian horses, vital for regions’ cavalry forces.
Abul Fazl, chronicler of Mughal Emperor Akbar, recorded the breeding of horses in India by the late 16th century, claiming they rivaled Arabian horses. He noted areas like Kutch and Kathiawar in Gujarat as prominent breeding zones, where local horses were compared to Arab breeds. The regions’ diverse landscapes, from the deserts of Sindh to the Banni grasslands, were ideal for horse breeding. A legend suggests Kutchi horses originated from seven Arab horses shipwrecked on Kutch’s shore. Despite Arab-Persian imports, Gujarat had a rich horse culture dating back to the Mauryan period. By the 12th century, horse breeding was well-established, with Arab-Persian horses brought through Gujarat ports. Abul Fazl and later English traveler Edward Terry praised Gujarat’s horse breeding and management skills.
Indigenous Horse Breeds in India
A Kathiawari Horse Breed
Even as India’s taste for horses became Europeanized, the Kathiawari breed captivated many, evidenced by Indian artists’ paintings for British owners and fond accounts of individual mounts. Thomas Webber, a colonial official, described a thrilling hunt with a Kathiawari horse, highlighting its beauty and agility.
Horses have played an important role and have been a significant part of human life throughout history. Though wild by nature, they were domesticated for their speed and energy, eventually becoming essential animals for people. Horses came to symbolize power and prestige, as evidenced by the Ashvamedha sacrifice, which underscored the importance of offering a horse to the gods. Even in the 18th century, the king of Amber (Jaipur) performed this solemn horse sacrifice, showcasing princely generosity. In warfare, horses transformed the dynamics of battles, providing a tactical advantage and becoming a symbol of martial prowess. The valor of cavalry units and their impact on historical conflicts cannot be overstated. In peacetime, horses facilitated trade, travel, and communication, linking distant regions. The symbolic significance of horses is mentioned in Hindu mythology, with Kalki, the awaited last messianic incarnation, expected to manifest as the rider of a white horse or as a horse-headed figure, who will be responsible for leading the world from the age of lawlessness, Kali Yuga, into a new epoch of righteousness. This image highlights the profound impact horses have had on human civilization.
