Hi @VasT ,
I’m glad that you liked the post. Yes, the elephant is real, but it doesn’t harm anyone. In South India, rural people keep elephants with them. So, many of those elephants remain with their masters since they were young. They are very much acquainted with their masters and surroundings around them.
We often feel rejuvenated after playing with them.
Since this was basically a Ganesha Temple, means the deity was Lord Ganesha who is worshipped. He is having head of an elephant along with the human body (there is a separate story behind it). For this, many Ganesha temples across India have elephants in their courtyards.
Apart from this, elephants are venerated in Hinduism. It is because it depicts power, strength, loyalty, intelligence and patience. It is also considered a sign of goodwill and prosperity.