Biswanath (Assam): The majestic reign of 'Bijuli Prasad,' the world's oldest living Asiatic elephant, has come to an end as the iconic pachyderm passed away on Monday morning. The 90-year-old elephant, revered as a living relic of history, had witnessed the British colonial era and been a part of the landscape at Behali tea estate in Assam's Sonitpur district.
With a legacy spanning decades, Bijuli Prasad had been a symbolic figure at the Behali tea estate, where the British aristocrat Oliver Sahab bestowed the name upon the elephant almost nine decades ago. The creature had been a member of the Magor Tea Company's extended family, evoking a sense of nobility that was once associated with the company.
Bijuli Prasad's daily sustenance included a regimen of 25 kg of rice, along with an equivalent amount of corn and Ceci beans, ensuring the creature's health and vitality. In addition to this, several carts laden with banana trees were provided each week by the tea garden authorities to supplement the elephant's diet.
The care of Bijuli Prasad was a meticulous endeavour, as a team of employees under Oliver's guidance attended to the elephant's needs. Routine health assessments, including weight checks and electricity-based health evaluations, were conducted on a weekly basis, and comprehensive reports were dispatched to the company's headquarters in Kolkata. The annual expenses for the creature's care amounted to Rs 6 lakh, a financial commitment borne solely by the tea company.
Under the watchful eye of veterinarian Dr. Kushal Konwar Sharma, Bijuli Prasad underwent regular health examinations, ensuring the creature's well-being through its twilight years. Following the demise of Chamunda Prasad, an elderly elephant from Karnataka, Bijuli Prasad had been acknowledged as the country's oldest living elephant.
As a team of doctors from the Bargang forest department conduct post-mortem examinations to ascertain the cause of death, the memory of this majestic elephant's enduring presence remains etched in the hearts of those who were fortunate to witness its remarkable journey through time.
