The Horse and Elephant Armour authored by Dr. G.N. Pant is the very first attempt of its kind in India. Profusely illustrated with line drawings and photographs, all derived from the authentic sources, the book is the sum total of life-long intensive study of the author. The origin and development of Indian cavalry and elephantry have been narrated with meticulous care. The horse armour and harness e.g., saddle, stirrups, chanfron, crinet, cuello, crest, bridle-cutter, flanchard, poitrel and spur have been discussed and illustrated. The Indian rulers placed great reliance on the elephants and harnessed them with several protective and ornamental coverings. The howdah, imari, trunk protector, tusk protector, eye protector, chains, ropes and ornamental jhula have been vividly described and aesthetically displayed. A number of appendices, a glossary of technical terms, a comprehensive bibliography and a detailed index are added attractions. The warrior was very much dependent upon his horse or elephant in active warfare which made it necessary that the war animal was properly harnessed and armoured. The myth that the ancient Indians never attained proficiency in horse warfare has forcibly been demolished. The author’s thirty-five years of association with the National Museum, New Delhi enabled him to handle, scrutinise and study the original specimens of elephant and horse armour put on show and those preserved in the reserve collection. He has coroborrated his inferences with the ones depicted in paintings, in sculptures and on coins. The book Horse and Elephant Armour will serve as a reference work and is bound to be welcomed by the researchers in the field of military science, museology, art and Indian culture. These mute examples of the bygone days are the tangible proofs of the sacrifices of the martyrs who laid down their yesterdays for our today.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR G.N. Pant
Born in 1940 at Singahi (Lakhimpur Kheri, UP.), Dr. Gayatri Nath Pant had a distinguished career. After passing his M.A. and B.Ed. examinations from Lucknow University, he obtained his doctorate on 'Ancient Indian Arms' from Sagaur University and D.Litt. from University of Magadh. His proficiency in Sanskrit enabled him to study classical literature. He has 250 research papers to his credit. Dr. Pant's first book Indian Weapons was published in 1966 and the second, Studies in the Defence History-a Bibliography in 1970. The gigantic work, Studies in Indian Weapons and Warfare, published in 1970, fetched him the President of India's acclaim and his Bharatiya Astra-shstra won for him 'Acharya Narendra Dev Special Award' His other notable publications are : Indian Arms and Armour in three volumes, Indian Archery (1980), Catalogue of Arms in the Junagadh Museum, Gujarat (1984), Mughal Weapons in the Babur-nama (1989), Catalogue of Edged Arms in the Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad (1989), etc. A number of monographs are in press. Dr. Pant has prepared half a dozen catalogues of arms and armour' and has studied the collection of almost all the Indian museums. He has. travelled erstwhile U.S.S.R, U.K., Germany, France, Netherlands.U.S.A., Africa. etc., and studied the oriental arms preserved there. Dr. Pant is the member of 'Archer Antiquaries', London; 'Arms and Armour Society' ,London; 'Rifle. Association of India' ,New Delhi, etc. executive member of the 'International Council of Museums', Paris, and Editor, Journal of Indian Museums. He is adviser' to the Archaeological Survey of India and the Ministry of Defence on all the matters pertaining to oldarms and annour. He has been elected Fellow of Royal Asiatic Society (FRAS), London, and Fellow of the Educational Consultants of Oxford Ltd. (U.S.A.). At present Dr. Pant is the Director/Pro- Vice-Chancellor of the National Museum Institute (Deemed University.
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