Coimbatore: Lakshmi, the elephant owned by the Irattai Tirupathi Temple in Srivaikuntam, Thoothukudi, was underweight when she arrived at the rejuvenation camp for temple elephants at Thekkampatti near Mettupalayam. Thanks to the sumptuous meals and nutrition supplements, at the end of the 48-day camp, she has put on weight and become fit.Meanwhile, her friends from other temples and mutts across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, who were obese, have trimmed down—thanks to the physical training they underwent at the camp.The camp, which began on January 4, concluded on Tuesday. A total of 33 elephants that attended it feasted on fed palm shoots, coconut shoots, bamboo and corn stalks. They were also given nutrition supplements and ayurvedic medicines, said an official.For the first time since the camp was launched, this year, veterinarians analysed blood samples of the elephants and prepared haematological reports along with the health reports, said a camp official. “The blood analysis reports will be given to the temple authorities so that they can arrange additional medical care for the elephants,” the official said.Assistant director of animal husbandry and the team head of veterinarians at the camp Dr S Thirukumaran said the elephants have been rejuvenated. “We treated some elephants for specific ailments. Some of them had sores that had to be tended. One elephant underwent treatment for a lung infection,” he told TOI.The camp, which cost the exchequer Rs 1,50,79,000, was inaugurated by minister for forests Dindigul C Srinivasan and minister for Hindu religious and charitable endowments Sevvoor S Ramachandran. This is the 10th such rejuvenation camp for temple elephants in the state since it was launched in November 2003 by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa. The camp was not held from 2066 to 2011. It was resumed when AIADMK came to power in 2011. While the camp was initially held in Theppakkad in Nilgiris, it was shifted to Thekkampatti in Mettupalayam in 2013.

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