The 62-year-old pachyderm is advised against travel
Vellaiyammal, elephant of the Big Temple, would not attend the 48-day rejuvenation camp for elephants to be conducted at Vanabadrakaliyamman temple near Mettupalayam. The camp begins on Monday but Vellaiyammal, which went for the rejuvenation camp for five years, would not attend the camp.
As the pachyderm is 62 years old, doctors advised against transporting the animal. Vellaiyammal came to the Big Temple when she was four years old, and film actor Sivaji Ganesan presented the animal to the temple.
It was a herculean task for the mahouts to make Vellaiyammal board the lorry for going to the camp in the first year.
In the subsequent years, it boarded the vehicle easily and went happily to the camp.
However, elephants of Aiyarappar temple at Thiruvaiyaru (Dharmambal), Agneeswarar temple at Thirupugazhur, and Rajagopalaswamy temple at Mannargudi (Sengamalam) would attend the camp.
Tamil University
After boarding the lorries at the respective temples, the animals would be brought to Tamil University on Sunday and would be taken to the camp . S.Ilango, Joint Commissioner of HR and CE, would see off the elephants at Tamil University at 7 a.m.
The camp is organised to help the animals to stay in natural habitat.
Balanced diet, including mineral, protein and vitamin tablets would be given to the animals.
Why is a paper like Hindu using "it" to refer to a female elephant? Are animals not considered worthy enough of being referred to as "he" or "she". The term "it" to a majestic animal like an elephant, and that too one that has spent more than 50 years in the service of the temple is shameful. I hope the editor corrects this article, and gives due respect to Vellaiyammal.
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