India honours 'Grandma Elephant' in special ceremony

An elephant, claimed to be the oldest in the world, was honored in India's southern Kerala state on Wednesday July 27 and given the title of "Grandma Elephant."

Dakshayani, a female of reportedly 86 years, was paraded through crowds in Thiruvananthapuram before being decorated with a medal and other adornments.



The procession was held by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) which manages temples across the local area.

The TBD applied to Guinness World Records to have Dakshayani certified as the oldest elephant in captivity but the request was denied, national news outlet ANI said.

Dakshayani was originally given as a gift to the TBD by the Travancore royal family in approximately 1936, ANI reported.



Elephants are a important part of culture in Kerala where they are prominently displayed in festivals and cultural processions.

According to Guinness World Records the oldest elephant ever recorded was an Asian elephant, called Lin Wang, who died in Taiwan in 2003 at the age of 86.