Hastividyarnava

The Hastividyārnava, written by Sukumar Barkaith, is one of the best known illustrated manuscripts of Assam. Commissioned under the patronage of King Siva Singha (1714–1744 C.E.) and his queen consort Ambika, it deals with the management and care of elephants in the royal stables.

The Hastividyārnava is a work that arose in a matrix of disciplined study, prolonged observation and a precedent tradition. The commission of such a treatise was perhaps considered important as the elephant played an important role in affirming the idea of monarchy and exercising state power.