Tamil Nadu's beloved elephant Akhila turns 23, celebrated with traditional rituals

AKhila, the revered temple elephant of the Thiruvanaikoil Jambukeswarar Akilandeswari Temple in Trichy, renowned her 23rd natal day on sabbatum with traditional rituals and festive hearten, drafting large crowds of devotees.Born in 2002, Akhila was brought to the temple in 2011 during the tenure of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to assist in temple rituals and ceremonies. Since then, she has been an integral part of the temple's daily activities.To mark her birthday, the temple authorities organised a special celebration in the temple garden.Akhila was decorated and brought in ceremoniously. Priests performed special poojas for her, and the celebration was attended by mahouts, temple staff, priests, and a large number of devotees.Also Read | Why Karnataka handed over Kumki elephants to Andhra Pradesh? A step to curb rising human-elephant conflictsDevotees sang birthday wishes in unison and offered Akhila a feast consisting of fruits, vegetables, jaggery sweets, and traditional delicacies like kozhukattai.Additionally, earlier today, in a vibrant display of tradition and devotion, people from different adjoining villages gathered at the Kallandhiri village near Melur to celebrate the centuries-old fishing festival.According to the rituals, the fish caught by the villagers are offered to the deity for better harvest and health. The festival is celebrated every year with the onset of the summer season.Also Read | Grieving mother elephant refuses to budge, stands for hours by her calf killed by truck in MalaysiaMeanwhile, as part of the annual festival of Sri Pidari Amman Temple in Thiruvarankulam near Pudukkottai, a spectacular Jallikattu event was organised on Friday, drawing massive crowds and enthusiastic participants.The event saw the participation of 750 bulls and 300 tamers from various districts across Tamil Nadu. The event, held with great fervor, showcased the bravery and skill of the participants as they attempted to hold on to the humps of the charging bulls. The spectators cheered loudly as the bulls, adorned with colourful decorations, displayed their strength and agility.Jallikattu, a symbol of Tamil heritage, continues to be a major attraction during the Pongal season and temple festivals.Elephants lovingly shield caretaker from rain in viral video: 'Don’t worry, everything will be okay'The bull-taming event is an ancient sport played as part of the harvest festival, Pongal, in several parts of Tamil Nadu. It is a traditional event in which a bull is released into a crowd of people, and multiple human participants attempt to grab the large hump on the bull's back to tame it.In January this year, the world-renowned three-day Jallikattu event in Tamil Nadu's Madurai kicked off with Avaniyapuram village holding its first-day event, which features 1,100 bulls and 900 bull-tamers.The best bull was awarded a tractor worth ₹11 lakhs, while the best bull-tamer received a car worth ₹8 lakhs, alongside other prizes. The other two Jallikattu events in Madurai were held at Palamedu and Alanganallur.