Prayer meet held for lioness in Kakrach

AHMEDABAD: The residents of five villages in Kakrach area on Sunday held a prayer meet and a religious discourse for the lioness Rajmata, who recently died in the area.
This was the second meet organized there in remembrance of the lion matriarch. The first remembrance meet for Rajmata was held in the first week of September.
Rajmata, who died at the age of 20 in the last week of August, was known to have lived the longest among Asiatic lions.
Her last rites were held at Vadal Animal Care Centre near Palitana. Apart from her long age, what surprised wildlife experts were the number of her successful pregnancies. She also holds the record among Asiatic lions for having given birth to 15 cubs in seven litters.
Mahendra Khuman, the organizer of the prayer meet and deputy sarpanch of Kakrach gram panchayat said, “The villagers loved the lioness and protected her. She was unique and a source of pride for the area. She died in August end and we organized a religious discourse on Sunday for her departed soul.”
Manoj Joshi, a resident of the area and a local leader said, “Rajmata was a majestic lioness. We demand that the government or the gram panchayat should name the area or one of the offices in the name of Rajmata so that she is always remembered by the residents.”
Jalpan Rupapara and Purvesh Kacha, two doctors who have closely studied Rajmata along with other lions in Greater Gir region, said her last offspring was born in 2018. Rajmata’s health started failing after her youngest cub went missing that year. The cub is believed to have fallen prey to cannibalism.
She was the first lioness to set up her kingdom in Liliya Kakrach area. She was captured from Shetrunjay division in 2008 after her second delivery, and was later released in Hadala range in Gir East where she was radio-collared. She was about six years then and was named ‘Collar wali sinhan’ (collared lioness). In 2016, she was given the name of Rajmata by the locals due to her firm hold on her kingdom. Rajmata did not allow any other lioness to encroach on her territory.