MADURAI: An elephant named Gandhimathi belonging to Sri Nellaiappar temple, located in the heart of Tirunelveli city, died of illness on Sunday.

The female elephant, donated by a philanthropist in 1985 to the Nellaiappar Gandhimathi Ambal temple, had been ill for over a month. The 56-year-old elephant, which remained an integral part of festivals organised in the temple, battled senility and suffered arthritis.

A team from the Veterinary College and Research Institute, Sripuram, examined the ailing temple elephant, but could not rescue it.

The last rites of the elephant Gandhimathi were performed and taken to Thamaraikulam for the devotees to pay homage.

Minister for Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply, K.N. Nehru, Tirunelveli Collector K.P. Karthikeyan, Nainar Nagendran, Tirunelveli MLA, M. Abdul Wahab, Palayamkottai MLA, Mayor of Tirunelveli G. Ramakrishnan, Commissioner of Corporation N.O. Sukhaputra and others were among those who paid homage, sources said.