Puducherry: Puducherry’s Manakkula Vinayagar temple elephant Lakshmi suddenly fainted and died while taking a morning walk, causing grief among the devotees. The management of the famous Manakkula Vinayagar temple brought Lakshmi the elephant 26 years ago at the age of 5 years. Unlike other elephants, it was friendly with the devotees. A large number of people, from children to adults, come to see him stand at the temple gate with silver kolus on his feet and bless the devotees.
Lakshmi the elephant walks daily along the beach road from her shelter on Iswaran Koil Road. As usual in the morning, the elephant, who went for a walk with Bagan Sakthivel, suddenly fainted and died. In 2017, the then Deputy Governor ordered to release Lakshmi in the forest.
The people of Puducherry, who fought to prevent it, are now mourning the death of Lakshmi. The elephant’s body was taken to the temple by a crane. Devotees are paying homage there. Manakula Ganesha Temple was destroyed by the death of Lakshmi. After the devotees and public pay their respects, the body of the elephant is dismembered and then buried.