Thiruvananthapuram: An 86-year-old temple elephant in Kerala is being sought to be included in the Guinness Book of World of Records as the oldest surviving Asian elephant in captivity.
The elephant "Dakshayani" was felicitated by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), an autonomous body which manages Hindu shrines, and confer the title of 'gaja muthassi' (grandma elephant) at a function in Thiruvananthapuram today, an official release said.
The TDB, which manages a number of temples including the famed Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy Temple, has initiated steps to make the entry of the majestic jumbo into the Guinness Book of World records as the oldest surviving Asian elephant in captivity, it said.
TDB President Prayar Gopalakrishnan has said the Board had already written to the Guinness authorities in this regard. Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran inaugurated the felicitation programme, in which Forest Minister K Raju conferred the pachyderm with the title, the release said.
Dakshayani was gifted to the TDB by the erstwhile Travancore royals. The elephant is presently housed in the Chengalloor Mahadeva Temple in the city.
