Work as Temple Elephant

Elephant is India's much-loved animal and an integral part of the culture and mythology. Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed God of wisdom, is probably the most worshipped Hindu deity in the country today.
The elephant is associated with Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu deity of wealth and prosperity. One of Her eight manifestations (Ashtalakshmi) is known as Gajalakshmi. In the history of Buddha it was a white elephant which descended from the heavens and announced to Queen Maya the coming birth of Prince Gautama.
It is traditional to have elephants in Hindu temples. It is considered auspicious to be blessed by one. Those on India tours are likely to see elephants if they visit a Hindu temple, where the creatures are an important part of traditional ceremonies, blessing pilgrims and devotees with their raised trunks as well as performing other physical duties.

Parvathi, Madurai Meenakshi Temple elephant, 2012

The elephant is used to perform various tasks in and around the temple. However, it is important that these animals are well looked after.
Life as a temple elephant can be quite hard. The elephant may be kept chained by the ankles and may be trained with the use of the ankush, a hook, which is painful. Even if treated fairly well, the temple elephant is expected to stand for many hours on pebbles or cobblestones, in the hot sun, greeting, bowing to, or touching the heads of the temple visitors, so it is a difficult life. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the government is has set rules to be followed in the care of captive elephants. The elephant will also be provided a place to rest in clean, healthy surroundings, with shade. A bathing pool is required, and the elephant will need to be bathed in the summer at least twice a day. On reaching the age of 60, the elephant will be retired and will no longer be working. These rules will be a great help to protecting and ensuring the safety of the elephants.

They bless us so let God will bless them!

Thekkady 2012