Being that I love elephants and also enjoy a nice, celebratory procession, I visited Sri Seshadri Ashram yesterday (Saturday October 5, 2013) in order that I could view the procession connected with the Raja Parivara Puja, which was scheduled to leave that Ashram at 4.00 p.m. As things usually get off to a slow start I turned up at Sri Seshadri Ashram at about 4.30 pm. But was disappointed to see that neither the horse nor cow (for the puja) had arrived, and that arrangements for the procession seemed to be delayed.
Fortunately the sweet elephant from Trichy was on time and was waiting patiently at the Ashram whilst snacking on some nice greens. I was told that she had been transported from Trichy by lorry, which I suppose in these days of speeding vehicles on overburdened roadways is the safest solution. In quieter times elephants would have a nice walk to functions. In days previously whenever Sri Sathya Sai Baba was switching from his Puttaparthi Ashram to his Whitefield Ashram, his elephant Geeta, would be taken between those stops by a long, leisurely walk.
I waited at Sri Seshadri Ashram till about 5.00 p.m. but as not much progress was being made starting up the procession, decided to leave and go upon my household shopping duties.
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| Having a little munch |
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| Checking it all out |
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| Wearing freshly painted face decorations |
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| Pots inside Sri Seshadri Siddhar Hall |
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| Young lads with their musical instruments |
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| The sweet elephant wearing her "fancy dress" outfit |
Poor innocent social animal, being confined to small compounds, pushed into noisy processions, and carted here & there without any friends to play with. :-(
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with your comment. There are lots of activists in India trying to get freedom for working elephants -- poor things.
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