Babiya, the vegetarian crocodile which attracted scores of visitors to Kerala’s Ananthapura lake temple, is no more. Heartbroken devotees are visiting the Swami Temple in Kasaragod to attend the funeral of their beloved Babiya. The 75-year-old crocodile passed away on the south side of the lake near the temple around 10 pm on Sunday.
After his body was buried on the grounds of the Sri Anantapadmanabha Swamy Temple in Kumbla, devotees paid respect to the divine crocodile.
Devotees Believed This Crocodile Had A Godly Presence
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
For years Babiya ate only vegetarian food given by devotees from Kerala and Karnataka. This rare quality of Babiya impressed many. Visitors to the temple felt that he surely had a divine presence. They waited patiently to catch a glimpse of ‘the presence of God’ in the water.
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Know More About The Temple-Favourite Babiya
Babiya, a male crocodile, living in the temple pond, ate only rice and jaggery offerings. The beloved crocodile fascinated devotees visiting the temple. Apparently, the crocodile appeared from the water, the moment the temple priests called him. According to reports, Babiya was offered prasad twice a day. And, he never turned violent on his devotees or visitors.
Also read: The Only Lake Temple In Kerala Has A Vegetarian Crocodile
Nobody knows how Babiya came to the temple. Although some old people claim that the crocodile lived in the pond for over 70 years. The vegetarian, non-violent crocodile is a temple celebrity.
Also read: Video Of A Man Feeding Crocodile With His Bare Hands Like A Pet Dog Goes Viral
Babiya graced the news two years ago when it entered the precincts of the main temple. The crocodile climbed many steps to perhaps, pay respect to the divine and say hello to the temple priests. Ananthapura temple will surely miss its beloved Babiya.
News Source: Hindustan Times
Cover image courtesy: Pavan Shetty/ Twitter