TIRUCHY: A large swimming pool has been constructed at a cost of Rs 9 lakh for the two elephants of the Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy temple. Both the elephants enjoyed a long dip in the pool on Monday.
Following the Jambukeswarar temple and the Rockfort Thayumanaswamy temple, the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy temple has also constructed an exclusive swimming pool for its two elephants Aandal and Lakshmi. After the construction of the 56 ft x 56 ft big concrete pool, the elephants were brought there for the first time.
The jumbos had a swim in the six-foot-deep water after poojas were performed for them and for the pool by one of the senior priests of the temple Sundar Bhatter.
Marimuthu, the joint commissioner of the Srirangam temple, said the pool is bigger than the other two elephant swimming pools in the city. It is situated in the middle of a six-acre coconut garden close to the Kollidam river banks. A proposal has been sent to provide the whole area for the temple elephants. Once the proposal is accepted, both the elephants will spend their free time in the garden.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Rajesh, the mahout of Aandal, said, "Both Aandal and Lakshmi loved their new swimming pool, playing for more than two-and-a-half hours in the water on Monday. Lakshmi who is the younger one played like a child in the water and teased Aandal. Apart from the rituals in the temple, both the elephants will spend their time here in the garden. Since the pool is large in size, both can play at the same time in the water."