Is it Sacred Bull or Elephant?: The Mystical Dance of Illusion at Ancient Temple in India

The Airavatesvara temple in Tamil Nadu is a symbol of ancient art and insight.

[{"selector":"#anim-9d456b75-d286-4c3b-ace7-c43e63d28519","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6271074b-bef7-4125-8705-d00b7d6530ae","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.65345%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1529b5d0-e85f-4a06-983e-c7aaad0adc2f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b46332dc-e327-4d15-9125-c13106c5cff4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 154.86113%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- Google

It features an optical illusion of two animals appearing to have one head.

[{"selector":"#anim-1b76519e-5b97-4b31-813c-dc69632598aa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bb93bd92-0065-4280-89ec-5a94fa5f25c2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.65345%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-68d8d2a6-5779-453c-8e65-b3e6635bc42d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-248aa896-63d5-4b7a-a50e-18317978e293","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 154.86113%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- Google

Created in the 12th century, the art combines Hinduism's bull, Nandi, and elephant, Airavat.

[{"selector":"#anim-2cabe513-0f23-4d0e-85ef-16e84db4a9ae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-66c180e2-45ad-4553-a174-3dd4a573ec33","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.65345%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ca2aa35-1911-4ad9-ac36-00bf9d9861d6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5fb2e62d-47d4-4be3-985f-6852aec87697","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 161.59845%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- Google

The illusion's design turns the bull's horns into the elephant's tusks.

[{"selector":"#anim-cb3775d6-0951-4f92-a187-77507ea19dc2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-12ac3d4d-5efc-4d09-9d50-d334493d76e7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.65345%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0cd0c3fe-a571-49a3-b15b-557978da24f6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-987e1a5a-ff3e-44d3-ac4c-bf67d278116f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 176.27318%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- Google

People see either the bull or the elephant first, and opinions differ.

[{"selector":"#anim-8bf1b7f4-7f9c-428e-b1d1-3cff7f2164f8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-704dcf78-eeaf-461b-a221-902451a25458","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.65345%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7867e144-5b88-4186-b6c3-578cde1ba4fb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8aabfff-23c2-455e-811f-855c8d0f77a2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 174.18981%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- Google

After being shared on Twitter, this illusion became a global sensation.

[{"selector":"#anim-d5ba646f-4e8e-40a0-8b0e-d16aa84fbff7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-05ff7f71-0a40-46e0-963d-45171ebbad21","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.65345%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0d00cbcd-f811-4dc1-bd3f-0884329e88d0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ac322112-0945-445a-b44d-a830f65ea4d8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 154.86113%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- Google

The temple's illusion reminds us of the historical depth of optical art's introspection.

[{"selector":"#anim-ba891b8e-5e8f-419f-b562-3e4a8bce2b22","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-593c5079-fdc9-4ba6-acfc-88fd30ced801","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.65345%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb5fd12f-0cf3-41be-9e6f-4dfd99a3894a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3ed5b04-ba7a-4cc9-8ad8-09605107c852","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 167.73882%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- Google

This artwork prompts viewers to think deeply about its dual representation and meaning.

[{"selector":"#anim-30433798-a51b-48e9-ac34-63d65cf02e44","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3d4dd311-f53d-4084-8688-1cafa84b087c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -99.65345%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5cb3cb67-6c92-42c8-ac83-14165cc5535f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82a6505a-be0b-4a51-94cf-10439a34a617","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 144.52267%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- Google