You probably know that the famous Spanish painter Salvador Dali designed a surrealistic ashtray for Air India in 1967. Salvador Dali was very fond of elephants. That’s why asked Air India to give an elephant as payment for designing the ashtray. Air India flew a two-year-old elephant from Bangalore to Geneva with a mahout. The elephant (Big Baby) was taken to the Spanish city of Cadaques, which was ritually bathed there. The mahout leads the elephant to the house of the painter Dali, the elephant is carried to a glass stage, where bewildered Spanish villagers dance around it in celebration.
The mayor of the city of Cadaques declared a three-day holiday to celebrate the elephant’s arrival. There was also a special parade held on the occasion and a special drink prepared with wine and Indian tea and Dali’s favourite pink champagne was served. An Indian astrologer was invited from Bombay to participate in the festival.
