The 900‑year-old optical illusion from India reveals your personality. Elephant or Bull?

Optical illusions have fascinated us for centuries. What might come as a surprise is that the oldest known optical illusion resides in India, dating from an impressive 900 years ago! It's a fragment of the Airavatesvara Temple in the town of Kumbakonam, within the Thanjavur district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. If you've never seen it before, it's your chance. Look at the picture as what you glean from it is believed to disclose your deepest nature.

The temple fragment portrays a peculiar creature, a fusion of an elephant and a bull. These two creatures' choices are not arbitrary, as both hold extensive significance in Hinduism, India's national religion.

In Hinduism, the elephant, known as Airavata, is revered as the divine mount of Indra, the god of the heavens. The bull, Nandi, symbolizes Shiva, the god of destruction.

What you first perceive in this ancient temple's picture carries meaning. An elephant or a bull? The interpretation matters significantly.

People's interpretations of the sculpture vary, yet they revolve around two primal figures: the elephant or the bull. If you first notice an elephant, this suggests that you are serene, loyal, very friendly, and highly intelligent.

If your eyes caught the bull first, it's far from negative. It indicates that you're a person characterized by steadfastness, honesty, and a positive outlook. You are capable of holding your ground, with obstinacy and persistence being your defining traits. You won't let anyone take advantage of you.