Sri Lanka’s most sacred elephant passed away aged 68 on Monday, prompting an outpouring of grief and a presidential order for the huge cadaver to be stuffed and preserved for posterity. Nadungamuwa Raja was the most important among 100 elephants used in an annual pageant involving fire-eaters and drummers, tasked with carrying a golden casket of Buddhist relics on its back.
On Monday a procession of mourners — including schoolchildren, priests in saffron robes and an elderly lady with a Zimmer frame — paid their respects to Raja, praying and touching its mighty tusks in reverence. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa decreed that the animal be declared a “national treasure” and ordered its remains be preserved “for future generations to witness,” his office said. Raja was due to be handed over to taxidermists later on Monday for stuffing after Buddhist funeral rites have been performed, its owner said through a spokesperson. —AFP
