For the 'salvation' of an elephant's 'soul'....

Coimbatore, Sep 3 (UNI) Can one imagine, people performing post-funeral rituals to an animal, normally restricted to the departed souls of human beings? Yes, it was done to an elephant by the tribals at Periyanaickam Playam forest range in the Western Ghats, last evening.

Such was the love a group of tribals had for an elephant that they performed all the post-funeral rituals with maximum 'religious fervour'. The ashes of the carcass preserved in a pot (urn), poojas were performed and then immersed in streams, Rangsamy, a tribal told UNI.

Such rituals are rare. It came as an exception as the 15-year-old tusker, which used to wander in the tribal settlement, was never mischievous and harmed none. Thus the tribals grew fond of the pachyderm. The elephant died of gastro-enteritis.

The forest officials burnt the carcass after a post-mortem. In the company of forest officers, the tribal leader-Mooppan, did special poojas. A tribal dance was also organised in 'honour' of the departed soul.

UNI