Two religious maths fight for custody of female elephant

DAVANAGERE: A tussle has erupted over a female elephant named Subhadra, who was initially under the care of Udupi’s Sri Krishna Math, but was later transferred to Hirekal Math in Honnali, Davanagere district. The Sri Krishna Math has now taken up a legal battle to reclaim Subhadra, citing their need for her during the upcoming Parayaya festival.

The Sri Krishna Math was granted ownership of Subhadra by the government in 1993. However, due to Subhadra’s health issues, she was sent to Sakrebailu elephant camp in Shivamogga district in 2015 and later transferred to the Chinnappa Swamy Hirekal Math at Honnali in 2019. Hirekal Math has been taking care of Subhadra, and the elephant has formed a bond with the devotees there.

Meanwhile, the Udupi Sri Krishna Math has claimed that the elephant is needed for the Parayaya festival and has requested the forest department to return it. But the Hirekal Math and its devotees are unwilling to part with Subhadra, citing the bond they have formed with the elephant. The Forest Department has ordered Hirekal Math to return Subhadra to Sri Krishna Math, but the math is resisting this decision and is taking legal recourse.

Hirekal Math seer Sri Wodeyar Channamallikarjuna Shivacharya Swami said, “It is correct that the elephant belonged to Udupi math. Its health suffered due to the climate and was sent to the Sakrebail elephant camp. After it was recovered, it was sent back to the Udupi math, but again fell ill. Subhadra was again treated for two years at the camp, but the Paryaya math seer refused to take it back. When it was offered to us, we readily agreed”.

“For three paryaya ceremonies, the maths had not asked for the elephant. Now, the Puthige Math is insisting that Subhadra be handed back to them, but the three other paryaya maths had not sought for Subhadra. The elephant is safe here”, the seer said.

Former Honnali BJP MLA M P Renukacharya said an order was issued in 2019 to transfer Subhadra to the Hirekal Math. “Now that the elephant is healthy, there is confusion being caused by the Ashta Mathas of Udupi. The devotees are firm that Subhadra should stay here and we are ready for a legal battle. The government is ready to provide the Udupi math with a different math”.