Kasaragod: ‘Vegetarian Crocodile’ Babiya passes away at Ananthapura lake

Babiya, a ‘Vegetarian Crocodile’ died on Sunday night at the Ananthapura lake temple near Manjeswaram in Kasargod district.

Over the last 70 years, the crocodile used to eat the temple Prasadam offered by the devotees.

“Babiya appeared in the temple soon after a British soldier shot a temple crocodile. She was given food after the pujas in the morning and evening. The devotees also made offerings to her. Lots of devotees and tourists came to see Babiya,” temple representatives said.

Meanwhile, Babiya was undergoing treatment for age-related ailments but on Sunday night she was found dead.

Earlier in the day many devotees came to the temple to offer homage and were cremated in the temple.

“Babiya, the god’s own crocodile of Sri Anantapura Lake temple has reached Vishnu Padam. The divine crocodile lived in the temple’s lake for over 70 years by eating the rice and jaggery prasadam of Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy and guarded the temple. May she attain Sadgati, Om Shanti!,” Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in Karnataka Shobha Karandlaje said.

“Devotees turned up to pay their last respects to Babiya. For over seven decades at Ananthapura Lake Temple, Babiya was the cynosure of all eyes,” Shobha Karandlaje said.