Rukku Goes on Holiday

The first photograph below is of a lovely parade of nine elephants being taken from Palayamkottai on Saturday November 24 for their annual rejuvenation camp to be held at Mettupalayam. The camp lasts for 48 days and is the precious time in the year that elephants that serve in Temples in Tamil Nadu, return to their forest roots. 

Elephants going on Holiday

Rukku getting onto the Truck

Our own Rukku who lives at Arunachaleswarar Temple at Tiruvannamalai was held back by Deepam Festival duties, so her holiday was delayed by several days. But the next two photographs, show her in the truck that will take her to the Mettupalayam forest, which is in fact the place where she was born. 

On my way to the Forest -- Hooray!

Hope that the authorities in charge notice the careful security planning of the trucks in the first photograph – and apply it in future to our own precious Rukku’s safety both when she travels in trucks and also during her time here at Arunachala – we want to keep her SAFE AND HAPPY.