Durga temple needs an elephant: Ex-mayor Dr Jandhyala Sankar

Vijayawada: Former Mayor of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation Dr Jandhyala Sankar said that he was upset to see a life-size toy elephant being taken out on a parade during the Rathotsavam in connection with the Maha Shivaratri celebrations in the city.

Speaking to The Hans India, Jandhyala Sankar said that every temple in the South India has its own elephant for the celestial ride of the presiding deity during the celebrations. 

He wondered whether the Kanakadurga Temple Trust Board is not financially in good position to buy an elephant for the celebrations. 

There is not a single elephant in Krishna district after the elephant nurtured by Challapall Zamindar died 50 years back, he said.

He recalled that when he was the Mayor of the city, he came across news in a section of press that the Guruvayoor Devaswom is being presented elephants and it has become burdensome to the Devaswom to feed them.

The former Mayor said that he immediately wrote a letter appealing to the Guruvayoor Devaswom either donate or sell an elephant to Kanaka Durga temple in Vijayawada. 

However, the Executive Officer expressed his inability to either donate or sell the elephants stating that it was their responsibility to feed the elephants donated to the temple and they would never donate nor sell them.

“Later, I wrote a letter to the Kanaka Durga Temple Trust Board to acquire an elephant through the Forest Department,” he said and added that he did not get any reply.

He said that he is appealing once again to the Trust Board of the Durga Temple which is the second biggest temple in the State to acquire an elephant.