Trichy temple elephant Akila gets wallowing ground

TRICHY: The Hindu religious and charitable endowments (HR&CE) department has provided a

wallowing ground

for

Akila

, the elephant of

Arulmigu Jambukeswarar

temple in Thiruvanaikoil in

Trichy

city.


By taking bath in the mud of the wallowing ground in the temple’s garden, the jumbo would regulate the normal body temperature and can avoid insect bites as the mud would serve as a layer over the elephant's skin, experts said.

Se Mariappan

, assistant commissioner of Thiruvanaikoil temple, said this is the first of its kind facility in a Tamil Nadu temple. It was established at a cost of Rs 1 lakh, contributed by the donors.

The 1,500-square-foot wallowing ground has a mix of clay soil, red soil and salt in certain proportions as advised by experts.

“The mud bath will minimise insect bites and maintain healthy skin, a sensitive part of elephants. By splashing and rolling over the wallowing ground, the elephant will feel rejuvenated,” elephant scientist Dr N Sivaganesan, consultant to Tamil Nadu forest department (elephant conservation), said.

Akila has a 400-square foot swimming pool a few feet away from new wallowing ground.


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