Source: The Hindu
MADURAI, INDIA, June 18, 2001: The 70-year-old she-elephant, Meenakshi, of the Meenakshi Sundereshwarar temple, which served the temple for more than five decades, died on Sunday night after a prolonged illness. Old age and its associated symptoms of illness were said to be the main reason for the death. The body was taken to the Devasthanam’s garden at Koodal Senkulam, a city suburb, where she was buried. Worship services were cancelled until her remains were removed from the temple premises. The docile animal had been a house-hold name for temple visitors and led all important temple processions. The temple has two more elephants — Angayarkanni, age 35 and Parvathi, 4.