NE NEWS SERVICE
COIMBATORE, FEB 8
The Annual rejuvenation camp for the temple and mutt elephants from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry began at Thekkampatti near Mettupalayam in Coimbatore on Monday.
‘Avayambal’ of Mayuranathar Temple in Mayiladuthurai and ‘Deivanai’ from Arulmighu Subramaniasamy Temple in Tiruchendur are the first to reach the camp, a day ahead of the 48-day annual rejuvenation camp commenced near Mettupalayam.
மாண்புமிகு @CMOTamilNadu அவர்களின் உத்தரவின்படி கோவை மேட்டுப்பாளையத்தில் யானைகளுக்கான புத்துணர்வு முகாமை தொடங்கி வைத்தேன். மாண்புமிகு அமைச்சர்கள் @Srinivasanoffl மற்றும் @OfficeofminSSR ஆகியோர் உடனிருந்தனர். pic.twitter.com/EAAx9o6hh0
— SP Velumani – Say No To Drugs & DMK (@SPVelumanicbe) February 8, 2021
The elephants were welcomed by performing a special pooja, weighed and offered bananas as ‘welcome treat’.
Forest officials said that over 20 elephants are expected to attend the camp, which saw 28 participants the previous year.
The camp was inaugurated by the Municipal Administration and Rural Development Minister S.P. Velumani in the presence of HR & CE Miniser Sevoor S. Ramachandran and Forest Minister Dindigul R. Srinivasan.
Earlier, the minister laid the foundation stone for the rope car project for the Maruthamalai Murugan temple.
The elephants from Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Thiruparankundram Subramaniyaswamy Temple and Alagarkoil Kallalagar Temple set out their journey to Thekkampatti on Sunday.
‘Abirami’, the elephant of Shri Amirthagateswarar Temple in Thirukadaiyur, is unfortunately not participating in the camp, as it has foot lesions, the sources said.