In Hinduism, Ariavata is the carrier of Lord Indra. He is a white elephant and according to the Ramayana he is the son of Iravati. According to the Mantangalila, Airavata took birth when Brahma sang sacred hymns over the halves of the eggshell from which Garuda hatched, followed by seven more male and eight female elephants. Prithu, an Avatar of Vishnu, made Airavata the king of elephants.

The eight guardian deities also known as `Asta Dikpalas` preside over the eight points of the compass sitting on an elephant. Indra is the chief among these eight guardian deities (Kubera, Yama, Indra, Varuna, Isana, Agni, Vayu, and Nirrti).

Airavata is also known as `Ardha-Matanga` meaning `elephant of the clouds`, `Naga-Malla`, meaning `the fighting elephant`, and `Arkasodara` meaning `brother of the sun`. The wife of Airavata is `Abharamu`. Airavata has four tusks and seven trunks and is milkwhite without a spot.