Sun Jan 12 07:48:16 UTC 2025: ## Beloved Temple Elephant Gandhimathi Passes Away in Tirunelveli
**TIRUNELVELI, January 12, 2025** – Gandhimathi, a 55-year-old elephant revered at the Sri Nellaiappar Temple in Tirunelveli, passed away on Sunday morning. The elephant, a gift to the temple in 1985, had been suffering from multiple ailments for the past six months, including a hind leg ailment. Despite receiving continuous treatment, including physiotherapy, Gandhimathi’s condition worsened in recent weeks, culminating in her inability to stand after lying down on Saturday. Despite efforts by a veterinary team and the use of a crane to help her rise, she passed away around 7 a.m. Thousands of devotees have gathered to pay their respects, and the temple administration has designated a burial site near the Thamarai Kulam parking area.
First Piper 