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- Published: October 10, 2022 14:08
New Delhi: A vegetarian crocodile named Babiya who was living in a temple pond in Kerala’s Kasaragod district for more than seven decades died Sunday night.
On Monday, hundreds of devotees paid homage to the crocodile after the body was placed in the premises of the Sree Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Temple at Kumbla.
Who was Babiya?
Babiya, the male crocodile lived in the pond of the temple by eating only the rice and jaggery offerings. He was a major source of attraction among devotees who attributed divinity to the otherwise carnivorous animal.
Babiya was offered the prasada twice a day after the pujas at the temple.
It is said that in 1945 a British soldier had shot a crocodile at the shrine and in few days another crocodile, which was later named Babiya, emerged.
It is also said that Babiya, the crocodile never turned violent or attacked the devotees.
Here is how condolences poured in for Babiya:
ಅನಂತಪುರದ ದೇವರ ಮೊಸಳೆ ಬಬಿಯಾ ಅಂತಿಮ ದರ್ಶನ.. #Babiya pic.twitter.com/AUhpefCysr
— Sachin Rai? (@Sachinkukke) October 10, 2022
Divine Crocodile Babiya which was guarding Sri Anantapura Lake Temple in #Kasaragod of Kerala is no more.Vegetarian #Babiya lived here in the Temple lake for the last 70+ years eating the Prasadam of Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy.
May God bless this soul. Om Shanti. @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/gvb7TvJak0— Pavan Shetty (@Pavan_Shetty_B) October 10, 2022
Divine Crocodile Babiya which was guarding Sri Anantapura Lake Temple in #Kasaragod of Kerala is no more.
Vegetarian #Babiya lived here in the Temple lake for the last 70+ years eating the Prasadam of Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy.
May God bless this soul. Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/daPSQSkS58
— Adv K Shreekanth (@AdvkShreekanth) October 9, 2022
Have you ever seen a formal funeral ceremony for a crocodile?
People in Kerala are coming to pay their tribute to #Babiya. This croc spent decades in the pond of Sri Ananthapura temple. I had visited this beautiful temple in Kasaragod, and fed that crocodile, vegetarian food. pic.twitter.com/LO03QCfZGY
— Kiran Kumar S (@KiranKS) October 10, 2022
My last visit in the year 2019 to Lake temple and #babiya
Sri Anantapura Lake Temple in #Kasaragod of Kerala
Om Shanti. pic.twitter.com/KCTsQL48QJ— Trishan Gangaraju (@trishan_harsha) October 10, 2022
Highly saddened to know that crocodile #Babiya of Sri Anantapadmabha Swamy temple in Kasaragod (#Kerala) has attained the feet of Narayana.??
This divine creature guarded the lake temple & lived by eating prasadam for decades. Om Shanti! pic.twitter.com/l9vuLrpoEb
— Gampa Sai Datta (@GampaSD) October 10, 2022