The Southern states of India are home to many historic and popular temples. Devotees across the nation visit the temples. Not just the temples, the animals in the temples also develop a bonding with the devotees and they become an integral part of the temples.
A 32-year-old Elephant is a part of the famous Manakula Vinayagar Temple in Puducherry. Devotees never miss an opportunity to seek the blessings of elephants whenever they visit the shrine. The elephant is now no more.
Following the usual schedule, the elephant named Lakshmi was taken for the morning walk on Wednesday. Sadly, it fainted midway and passed away. It is believed that it might have died due to a heart attack. It was 32 years old when it breathed its last. It has been living in the temple since 1995.
The body of the temple was brought back to the temple so that the devotees can pay their last respects. The last rites of the spiritual elephant were performed by the temple priests.
Not just common devotees, even Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan remembered the spiritual elephant and paid her last respects to Lakshmi. She paid floral tributes to the elephant. When she visited the temple an old woman cried loudly remembering Lakshmi. Tamilisai confronted her.
“Paid last respects to “Laxmi” Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple’s Spiritual Elephant in #Puducherry. Recalled her blessings during my visits to the temple.,” the Governor said on her Twitter account.