Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Minister P.K. Sekar Babu on Wednesday inaugurated a bathing pool for the Yoga Ramachandra temple elephant, Lakshmi, in Tiruvannamalai.
The 26-year-old jumbo was donated to the temple at the age of six.
Spread over 1,000 sq.ft, the pool is located in Vettagiripalayam hamlet, around 4 km from the temple in Padavedu village near Polur taluk.
The new facility, which is six feet deep, has a ramp with wooden fencing to allow the elephant to have a safe bath. The structure enables the animal to move easily once it is inside the water and relax under the watchful eyes of the mahout and his assistant who give it a bath.
Along with the Chola era Renugambal temple, the Yoga Ramachandra temple is maintained by the HR&CE Department. “As per plan, the elephant will be taken for bathing every morning to the pool. Adequate safety of the animal and passersby will also be ensured,” said District Collector B. Murugesh.
Funded by the TVS group, which maintains the temple, the pool is surrounded by a few borewells that are 100-ft deep to provide fresh water regularly. Waste water from the pool will be discharged through a series of drains to the nearby garden every day.
In the pool, the jumbo can sit, lie down and move easily while enjoying her bath. Despite the pool area being thickly wooded, district authorities plan to plant saplings of various species to ensure added nourishment to the pachyderm.
