KUALA LUMPUR, INDIA, November 11, 2005: In a rare scene, an elephant guided by a mahout climbed the 273 steps of Batu Caves to take part in the Uthama Patcha (Grand Prayers) consecration ceremony being carried out at the Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple at the hilltop. Chief priest Ravinatha Gurukkal said the elephant was taken there to perform the special prayer for Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. “The elephant is also the vahanam (vehicle) for Lord Ganesha,” he said, adding that this was the first time in Malaysia that an elephant climbed Batu Caves. Ravinatha said five elephants were brought from Thailand to undertake the arduous climb but four of them were brought back down after climbing 30 steps as the accompanying devotees became scared. “About 1,000 devotees who were at the temple cheered as the elephant was brought before Lord Ganesha for the one-hour prayer,” he added. Temple chairman R. Nadarajah said more than 50,000 devotees from throughout the country were expected to attend the Maha Kumbaabhishegam ceremony on Sunday.
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