Vasana elephant to be restricted to major historic pageants

Vasana, the elephant that carries the deity at Sri Lanka’s historic Ruhunu Maha Kataragama Devalaya, will no longer be made available for most pageants, the temple’s chief official said.

Aratchige Thilina Madusanka said Vasana would continue to appear at major historic religious sites such as Kandy, but not at other pageants.

The roughly 58-year-old elephant has earned deep respect and affection from people across Sri Lanka. The temple has received many requests to send Vasana to pageants around the country, but officials said moving the elephant between different locations places it under considerable strain.