Mangalore: Distant Devotee Donates Elephant to Shri Subrahmanya Temple

from special correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (mb)
with inputs and pics from Mahesh Puchchappady

Subrahmanya, Sullia Taluk, Dec 29: Now on, pilgrims to Kukke Shri Subrahmanya temple here will have a friendly animal to greet them when they arrive at this religious centre.

A baby elephant named 'Yashaswi' has been donated by B S Anand Singh, a businessman from Hospet in Bellary district of northern Karnataka. The three-and-a-half-year-old pachyderm had been originally brought from Gopalganj near the Nepal border and purchased from the elephant 'mela' held in Assam.

Estimated to cost around Rs 2 million (20 lac), the little animal bears the name of the daughter of Anand Singh. He arrived with his family at Subrahmanya on Saturday, December 29 and handed over the papers of transfer of ownership to the temple authorities. Besides, he has undertaken to bear the cost of its sustenance for a year in the temple.

He has reportedly donated another elephant to the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam (Balaji / Venkateshwara) also.

The elephant was brought to the temple in a procession and a 'Gajalakshmi Pooja' was offered.