ISKCON temples don't have this problem...

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna.

 

COCHIN, India (Reuters) - A prominent southern Indian temple saddled with

dozens of elephants offered by devotees is planning to charge for their

upkeep because turning down the expensive gifts could anger donors who fear

divine wrath.

 

The temple to Hindu god Krishna at Guruvayur, some 190 miles north of

Trivandrum, capital of the coastal state of Kerala, has 62 elephants, said

to make up the world's largest herd of captive elephants.

 

The temple spends about $417,500 a year to feed the elephants that adorn

majestic religious processions.

 

The animal is a symbol of the elephant-headed god Ganesha, worshipped by

Hindus as a remover of obstacles.

 

Devotees offer elephants on fulfillment of their wishes or to pray for the

removal of hurdles in their life.

 

P.V. Subramaniam, deputy administrator of the temple, told Reuters Tuesday

10 elephants were donated to the temple last year alone, and more could

spell financial trouble.

 

"We are thinking of restraining further influx of animals by asking for

400,000 rupees for the upkeep of the elephants and also introducing a method

by which a devotee can offer an elephant symbolically by paying 500,000

rupees," he said.

 

Each elephant needed three regular keepers, called mahouts, and food worth

about $6.30 every day and the temple also needed more land to maintain them,

Subramaniam said.

 

JUDICIAL INTERVENTION

 

The temple had in 1986 banned the donation of elephants but had to restore

the practice after devotees went to court and obtained a judicial order

against the ban.

 

Devotees fear divine wrath if they do not donate elephants.

 

P.N. Balaram, who has already offered eight elephants to the temple, told

Reuters he would fight its authorities if devotees were restrained from

offering elephants. He said many elephants had died of mysterious diseases

after the 1986 ban.

 

"And on probing the reason through astrological means God (Lord Krishna)

conveyed through an oracle that He was angry and insulted," Balaram told

Reuters.

 

But he said devotees were also assured that the elephants would not suffer

for want of funds.

 

"The deity conveyed that the temple administration needn't worry about

resources or revenue," Balaram said. "Devotees will bring the necessary

revenue."

 

Hare Krishna --

 

ysbd