The Elephant Trunk (Prince Variation)
The Anak Belalai Gajah is the most recent and symbolically lowered variation of the Belalai Gajah (Elephant’s Trunk) tanjak, traditionally worn by the princes of the Terengganu Sultanate until 2010. Created to distinguish the status of royal princes from that of the reigning Sultan, who wears the original, elevated Belalai Gajah form, this variation retains the trunk-like silhouette but in a more modest proportion. In Malay symbolism, the elephant’s trunk (belalai) represents authority, leadership, and the sovereign’s ability to command warriors and administer power. The proverb “an elephant with a broken trunk” evokes the image of a ruler stripped of power, underscoring the belalai as a potent metaphor for strength and legitimacy.