Temple facing an elephantine problem in Karnataka

The famous Kollur Mookambika Temple in Mangalore district of Karnataka is facing an elephantine problem. For, a rogue temple elephant, which underwent a yearlong treatment at a conditioning camp for elephants run by the forest department, is back to its rampaging ways.

Barely had the authorities of the Temple begun heaving a sigh of relief after spending a whopping Rs 1.3 million for taming its rogue elephant did the 24-year-old pachyderm stomped on a stationary Tata Sumo van. The worried temple authorities have now put the elephant back in chains and have asked the forest department to take him back.

A devotee had gifted the elephant to the Temple in 1985 when he was barely three years old. The elephant named Rajendra led a peaceful existence in the till 2004 when he started running amok in the neighbouring agricultural fields and damaging the crops.

When the elephant began going berserk frequently and even attacked two people, the Temple authorities promptly sent him to the forest department camp for treatment. After the treatment was over the forest department sent a bill for Rs 1.3 million along with a letter stating that the animal had been cured and would not cause any harm to life or property around the temple.

Though the bill was forwarded to the Karnataka Government’s Religious Endowments Department under whose control the Temple came, the authorities of the Kollur Mookambika Temple took possession of the elephant, hoping that the pachyderm would lead a peaceful life.

When the elephant resumed its rampaging ways within days after returning to the Temple, the authorities informed the Religious Endowments Department about the unsuccessful attempt to tame the rogue elephant.

“It is obvious that the elephant has not been cured completely. Therefore, we have asked the forest department to take him away”, Minister for Religious Endowments Nagaraj Shetty told reporters.

But, the forest department has defended itself by claiming that is difficult to predict the animal’s behaviour and advised the temple management to be patient till Rajendra adjusts to life around the temple once again.

Explaining why an astronomical sum of Rs 1.3 million was charged by the forest department for Rajendra’s treatment, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) A K Verma said the department provided the best possible treatment to the elephant.“A mahout was kept exclusively for Rajendra at a salary of Rs 8,000 per month along with two assistants who charged extra. The cost of feeding the animal alone was upwards of Rs 3 lakh, added to this was the veterinarians’ bill and forest guards who were used for escorting Rajendra on his daily walks,” Verma added.

But, Rajendra seemed to have unlearnt all that he was taught in the forest, the temple management argued. In no mood to take the risk of the elephant running amok on the temple premises, the authorities are in a hurry to send the animal back to the forest camp.