Ritual elephant 'Nadungamuwa Raja' dies

Nadungamuwa Raja’ the tusker which had carried the sacred relic casket of the Kandy Esala Perahera the most number of times, has died this morning at the age of 69 years.

He has carried the Sacred Tooth Relics Casket at the Esala Perahera for 12 years. Raja was an unofficial national treasure because he is one of the few tuskers chosen to carry the sacred relic casket of the Esala Perahera, an annual pageant at the most sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy.

The tusker used to walk around 90 kilometres to the city of Kandy for the event, called the Esala Perahera.