Vellaiammal
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) at
Thanjavur Brihadishvara temple (Rajarajesvaram or Peruvudaiyar Kovil) in India

Biography

☨ ♀ Vellaiammal

Identification

Local id Number	5
Tamil Nadu database	95

Description
Species:	Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Sex and age:	Female ♀ less than 2013 years old (maximum age)
Status:	sick
Origin
Born:	* >1950 wild
Birth place:
Death
Dead:	†2013-09-14
Death reason:	disease: arthritis
Locations - owners
Present / last location:	Thanjavur Brihadishvara temple (Rajarajesvaram or Peruvudaiyar Kovil), in India

Date of arrival

1954-00-00	Thanjavur Brihadishvara temple (Rajarajesvaram or Peruvudaiyar Kovil)
Record history
History of updates	2020-10-30

Latest document update	2020-10-18 06:25:24
Google map

† Vellaiammal is a dead sick Female ♀ Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), , who died 2013-09-14 at Thanjavur Brihadishvara temple (Rajarajesvaram or Peruvudaiyar Kovil), in India, . Official death reason described as arthritis.

Origin

Vellaiammal was born wild >1950.

Comments / pictures

For the last 10 years, Vellaiammal was sleeping in a standing position as she had a problem (Arthritis) on her right leg. “Last night, she slept lying down probably due to lapse of memory. Around 5am on Saturday, when the mahouts and other attendants came to the shed, they were surprised to see Vellaiammal lying down but she was making efforts to get up,” Rangarajan, supervisor of the Big Temple told TOI.

Have visited this temple several times and seen the elegant Vellaiammal. Sad that it had a painful death. Pray to Almighty for its soul to rest in peace. Sridhar BalasubramaniamImmediately the authorities called the veterinarians who tried to revive her and also make her get up but efforts failed and she started gasping. Her end came around 9am, said Rangarajan. The final rites for the elephant were done behind her shed at 4pm, he said

Reference list

References

Koehl, Dan, (2025). Vellaiammal, Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) located at Thanjavur Brihadishvara temple (Rajarajesvaram or Peruvudaiyar Kovil) in India. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 30 March 2025 at https://www.elephant.se/database2.php?elephant_id=11219. (archived at the Wayback machine)