At the young age of approximately
30 years Rukku (the Temple elephant) passed away at her night enclosure at
Arunachaleswarar Temple at 12.30 a.m. on Thursday March 22, 2017.
It is my sincere hope that Rukku
will be the last Temple elephant held at Arunachaleswarar Temple. Below in a
narrative from an earlier posting, I tell of the sad, pitiful life, Rukku led
as a Temple Elephant.
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| Rukku on duty at Temple |
“So our dear sweet Rukku, who
never gets to meet other elephants or go on proper walks, is manacled all night
in a way she is barely able to move. So, after the undiluted misery of her
night, there should be at least something to look forward to in her day?—but
no, the day brings her hours of mind numbing, painful, standing in one spot to
beg . . . and get coins from pilgrims
for blessing them on the head with her trunk. How can it be a blessing for a
pilgrim when the cost of it is the torture of the one giving the blessing?
Try standing in one place for
eight to ten hours, not being able to move; just shifting from foot to foot,
and you will get an idea of the horror of dear Rukku’s day.
A message to all . . . remember
that by going to the Kerala processions (and similar functions), allowing
elephants to bless you with their trunk, going on elephant rides or visiting circuses,
processions or Elephant functions, you are unknowingly promoting the
exploitation and (often) torture of these magnificient, social and highly
intelligent beings.
Please support the Elephant by
not supporting its bondage, abuse or torture.”
Rukku’s life started far away
from Tiruvannamalai. She was born at The Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and
National Park, daughter of Bama, a permanent resident at the Sanctuary.
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| Information from the International Elephant Registry |
A search The Hindu newspaper archives
of 2007 talk of Rukku’s mother and her retirement at the grand age of 60 years
old. To read full narrative go to this link here.
August 18, 2007
Udhagamandalam:
"A familiar figure at the
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park has earned a much deserved rest:
she has joined the list of “pensioners.”
Bama, a female elephant, was
captured on August 1, 1963 in the Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary when she was
about 15 years old.
In 1965, she was brought to the Mudumalai sanctuary. Having attained the age of 60, she “retired” on July 31.
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| Bama, Rukku's Mother |
Bama had given birth to two male
and two female calves. While Rukku was given to the Tiruvannamalai temple,
Bairavi died in 1999. Wasim was at Mudumalai and Mahesh had been sold to Devar
Films.
Dr. Kalaivanan said that out of
the 24 departmental elephants at Mudumalai, Bama was the most docile . . ."
[abridged]
Arunachala Service
Even though Rukku’s life was desperately pitiful, her enforced tapas will lead to great auspiciousness for her.
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| Rukku during 2017 Deepam Nayanar Procession |
In the Skanda Purana Sri Siva
explains to his consort the efficacy of engaging in Arunachala service. He
tells of the unimaginable blessings received by people who display their
reverence and obedience to the Divine and illustrates the extent of those
blessings by giving examples of the result of performing Arunachala Service.
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| Spider and his Web |
A spider, going about her
business, spun a cobweb of threads in some spot around Arunachala. This
inadvertent act was sufficent for the spider to reincarnate as a devotee with
memory of its previous birth. The devotee returned to Arunachala with offerings
of opulent silk cloths.
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| Glow Worm |
A glow-worm of green colour came
and made its nest in a branch nearby the Hill. The worm attained salvation
because unintentionally its glow served in the place of a jyothi illuminating
and worshipping Arunachala throughout the night.
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| Mouse with jewel cluster |
A mouse inadvertently dragged a cluster of jewels into the sanctum sanctorum of the Siva Lingam of Arunachaleswarar Temple and thereby brightened the shrine. The worship was enough for the mouse to attain instant liberation.
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| Sweet Rukku now with the Golden Lord |
