75-Year-Old `Vegetarian` Crocodile Dies In Kerala
Update: 2022-10-10 21:30 IST
75-Year-Old `Vegetarian` Crocodile Dies In Kerala (Photo/zeenews)
On Monday, representatives from the Sri Anantha padmanabha Swamy temple paid their final respects to "Babia," a 75-year-old vegetarian crocodile whom they regarded as "divine." The crocodile that resided in the lake close to the temple used to wander about the grounds of the temple, which was unusual but, according to temple officials, he was "harmless." Around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, the carcass was discovered floating on the lake.
People would travel from all across the country to see the crocodile, which was one of the temple's main draws. It is a common misconception that the crocodile had 'divine' links and that its duty was to guard the temple's deity. According to rumours, Babia was given 'prasadam', or rice and jaggery balls, by temple officials.
Several BJP leaders posted tributes to the now-dead crocodile on Twitter. Shobha Karandlaje, the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, expressed her optimism for the salvation of the "God's own crocodile," who spent more than 70 years living at the temple.
Meanwhile, according to the temple's official website, the lake is said to be home to a solitary crocodile, and in the memory of the very old men, this particular crocodile is the third they have seen. Another crocodile will inevitably appear in the lake after one dies, and this phenomenon is still not understood.