Tirupati, Feb 19 (IANS): Forest officials and staff of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) have been imparted a crash course in diverting wild elephants away from civilian areas and paths taken by piligrims on their way to Tirumala, the hill-top shrine of Lord Venkateswara.

Prominent elephant psychology expert Rudra Aditya from Himachal Pradesh conducted the workshop on Saturday.

The workshop has been necessitated by the rising menace of wild elephants straying into civilian areas and the path leading to the hill-top shrine of Tirumala.

Of late, there have been several instances of wild elephants causing panic among piligrims.

Apart from explaining how the moods of elephants vary with weather and season, the workshop included tips on tactfully driving away the pachyderms, and how to avoid provoking them, a TTD release stated.

The TTD staff were advised against causing ruckus or pelting stones at wild elephants that stray into civilian areas. Instead, the workshop participants were told to create smoke using dry chillies.

The TTD manages the affairs of the Tirumala shrine known as the world's richest Hindu temple. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the world visit here every year. However, with the onset of the pandemic, lockdown, and restrictions, pilgrim numbers had come down drastically over the last two years.

Of late, the numbers have been gradually increasing as restrictions are being lifted.

District forest officials also participated in the programme.