Avvai, the elephant that was an integral part of several festivals, including the annual Meenakshi Tirukalyanam and ‘puttu thiruvizha’, is no more.
After prolonged illness, the elephant that served Sri Subramaniyasamy Temple in Tiruparankundram died of cardiac arrest around 3.30 pm. The 54-year-old elephant was gifted to the temple in 1971. It was a favourite in the temple for playing mouth organ and was even appreciated by former president R Venkataraman during one of his visits to Madurai.
According to the veterinarians who treated Avvai, the elephant suffered from uterus-related problems. “Avvai’s health was not good for the past one month. It was given treatment for problems in the uterus and also for respiratory problems.
Its health worsened in the last one week and we administered oral medicines and injections,” said M S Saravanan, a veterinarian who treated the elephant.
“It did not lie down on its knees for the past six months. On Saturday, after taking all the medicines, it tried kneeling and that is when it suffered a cardiac arrest. It happened suddenly and Avvai collapsed,” he added.
The temple remained closed from 3.30 pm on Saturday to 7.30 am on Sunday, until the elephant was laid to rest in Pasumadam, located behind the Tiruparankundram Hills. “Avvai was decorated and kept in the mandapam till 1.30 am for the public to visit and a large number of visitors came to the temple. Early in the morning, Avvai was cremated and after a ‘parikara pooja’ the temple was opened for public at 7.30 am,” said R Senthilvelan, Executive Officer of the temple.
He said that the temple would be getting a new elephant in another 15 days. “We have a donor who is donating an elephant that is in Arunachal Pradesh now. We will be getting it in 15 days,” he concluded.
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