An 86-year-old temple elephant in Kerala is in the running to be included in the Guinness Book of World of Records as the oldest surviving Asian elephant in captivity.
The elephant “Dakshayani” will be felicitated by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), an autonomous body which manages Hindu shrines, in a function on Thursday.
The title of ‘gaja muthassi’ (grandma elephant) will be conferred onto her at the function.
The TDB, which manages a number of temples including the famed Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy Temple, has initiated steps for the entry of the majestic jumbo into the Guinness Book of World records.
TDB President Prayar Gopalakrishnan has said the Board had already written to the Guinness authorities in this regard.
Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran would inaugurate the felicitation programme, in which Forest Minister K Raju would confer the title upon the pachyderm.
Dakshayani was gifted to the TDB by the erstwhile Travancore royals. The elephant is presently housed in the Chengalloor Mahadeva Temple in the city.
(With inputs from PTI)