Prayers for dead elephants in Assam

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Chakardeo (Assam), July 4 (IANS) :

 

The mood was sombre and the surroundings echoed with the chanting of

religious hymns accompanied by rhythmic beats of drums and cymbals.

 

It was not an ordinary prayer with about a hundred people in this

tiny village on the outskirts of Guwahati, the main city in the

northeastern state of Assam, gathering outside a small community hall.

 

The ritual was performed to mourn the deaths of three wild Asiatic

elephants, mowed down June 21 by a speeding train.

 

" This is how we are paying our respects to the dead animals, as

elephants form an integral part of our religious customs and

practices, " said Dharani Pegu, a local resident.

 

A speeding passenger train had killed the three elephants, including

a calf, when the animals suddenly came on the track. Flowers were

sprinkled on the prayer site with a priest performing the rituals

with all seriousness.

 

" If we don't perform the rituals, we know for sure herds of wild

elephants that roam in and around our village would trouble us, "

another villager said. " All these years, we have never faced any

problems from the wild elephants since we offer regular prayers and

perform other rituals to appease the animals. "

 

 

full story:

http://news.newkerala.com/india-news/index.php?

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~~~*+*~~~*+*~~~*+*~~~*+*~~~*+*~~~*+*~~~*+*~~~*+*~~~*+*~~~

From beasts we scorn as soulless,

In forest, field and den,

The cry goes up to witness

The soullessness of men.

~M. Frida Hartley

/\ /\

>' .' <