PATHANAMTHITTA: At a time when the wild elephant menace is rising on the forest fringes, residents of Gavi in Pathanamthitta face a peculiar issue. They complain that elephants are taking away the idols from the temple of Ganapathi, the elephant-faced god, located inside the forest. The residents are forced to collect the idols from different parts of the forest and reinstall them to offer prayers. The Ganapathi temple in Gavi is around 200 years old. says Praveen Raj, a resident of Gavi. “It was built before there were dams in the region,” he says.
The temple is located deep inside the forest. “Often, when we go there to offer prayers, the idols would be missing. Wild elephants are taking them away and abandoning them somewhere in the forest. We have come to a stage where we have to search for the idols before offering prayers,” he says. Besides the Ganapathi temple, Gavi villagers also pray at the Sri Muthumariamman temple, which has fencing, at Kochu Pampa.
“Last week, jumbos barged in and destroyed the temple’s roof and other structures. Fortunately, the idols were safe,” says Yogarajan, another resident. However, he says the elephants do not attack villagers. “In Anachal, they even come close to the houses to bathe and to find food. The only problem we have with the jumbos is that they take away idols from our temples,” he adds.