Temple elephant given warm farewell

Kurnool: Gajendrudu, the temple elephant of Mantralayam Sri Raghavendra Mutt, bid farewell to the sanctum sanctorum on Sunday amid
chanting of purification rituals on Sunday. The pachyderm is on its way to Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park at Tirupati. The 34-year old
Gajendrudu had been a permanent fixture in various temple rituals and was the cynosure of visitors to the temple from around the world.

Mantralayam Peetadhipathi His Holiness Shubudendhra Teerthulu gave the farewell arathi in a touching manner while recollecting the affinity the
elephant had with the Mutt. Earlier in the morning, Gajendrudu was decorated with garlands and a shawl and was given a ritual bath by the
mahouts who had been attending to the big animal for decades.

Later Gajendrudu was taken around the temple premises and the main streets of Mantralayam before being boarded on to a specially arranged
truck to take it to Tirupati.