Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar Temple receives eight-year-old elephant Hiralal from Assam

After nearly a decade, the Arunachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai received an eight-year-old elephant named Hiralal from Assam.

HR&CE officials said that the elephant arrived at the temple premises around 9.30 p.m. on Thursday. The Department received the animal after the death of Rukmani, a 30-year-old female elephant, in March 2018 due to an injury. Rukmini was brought from Mudumalai Reserve Forest in 1995 as a seven-year-old jumbo.

“Special arrangements have been made to ensure the safety of the elephant. A veterinary team will be in place to take care of the animal,” S. Bharanidaran, Joint Commissioner (JC), HR&CE (Tiruvannamalai), said.

The elephant will be accommodated inside the temple premises, and mahouts from Assam will be assisting local mahouts in its upkeep.