Gulab the Elephant in Great Danger

BY: PADMALOCHAN DAS & VRINDAVAN LILA DASI

Mar 31, MAYAPUR (SUN) [Updated] Gulab, the Mayapur famous elephant, is in great danger as of 30-03-06. At 2 am she fell down on the floor and since then did not get up. Her feet got some infection at the end of Gaura Purnima festival and since then it got worse and worse despite the treatment offered by our vet-doctor, Nanda Krishna Prabhu.

The sores on her two front feet and one back foot are so severe that she could not stand on her feet any longer and fainted out of extreme pain. The photos show her condition as of 30-03-06.

On the back, near the tail you can see another big sore - it came due to her leaning and rubbing against the wall trying to get relief from standing on the hearting feet.

She was turned over in the middle of the day by strong metal pullies (same as when Pancha-tattva was brought on the altar).

She was excepting some food still and was put on a dripper (12 buckets of liquid and medicine was administered to her via this dripper). That will repeat again in the morning.

Devotees come throughout the day to spend time with Gulab, chant, stroke her, and give her a session of Reike.

Gulab taking caritamrta

Gulab's condition as of 9:30 am on 31-03-06 is that she is still lying down, she is eating and drinking a little. Earlier in the morning she was dripped againg with liquid and medications. She has not been washed so far and dirt and flys are insreasing considerably. Devotees are taking turns to fan her feet to keep flies away. Devotees are continuesly coming by to spend time with Gulab. She is very optimistic by nature, personally she reminds me how Sridhar Swami was in his last days - regardless all the suffering he was always jolly and joking with devotees. Gulab is the same - she recognises people and express her appreciation for their being with her. Her personality is as distinct as ever and even her playful nature is shinning through every now and then, even though she has only her trunk and tail left to express that. The most recent photos are below.

Afternoon Update:

This is NOT to announce her upcoming funeral. These pictures are meant for you to see how serious the situation is and join us in PRAYing for Gulab's recovery and SURVIVAL.

The news is as following. Doctor Roy from Kolkata zoo recognizes that if Gulab is to lie down for little longer that she will develop pnemonia and that will basically mean to loose her... also in this position she can not swallow the food and water properly - it comes pouring out on the floor.

The PLAN is to bring the crane and hang her in vertical position on large industrial elastic belts. In this way she will be in the right position for her body and would be able to swallow food/water properly.

The GOOD NEWS is that she was trying to GET UP on her feet by HERSELF today. She endevoured to do so few times after being turned over. She was turned over with help of pullies and at the time of turning she slipped down from top vertical position and her feet got smashed on the floor real hard right at the place of the main sore. That was an indescribably painful moment for all of us, our hearts had dropped and went still as she went in absolute shock...But what it did - the sore cracked and the puss has came out and then the doctors scupped the rest of puss from the wound. So, now she has massive pocket like hole in her leg and the rubbish has gone.

The zoo doctor says that if we be able to get her in vertical position she can survive. It will take long time for her leg to heal, but her chances are good. She does understand everything that's going on and WANTs to stand up. Her spirit is towards surviving, she has not given up. Hopefully the cranes will arrive tomorrow.

Previously she survived standing in the flood waters with her body half in the water day and night for 2 weeks... She survived being stuck in the lose mud by the Ganga - all 4 legs drowned in it, up to her belly...

Please join us in prayers that she will survive this time too.

Please send you best wishes, money, raky to Gulab Kali - lets all PRAY for her survival.

Hare Krishna!

your servants,
Padmalochan Das & Vrindavan Lila Dasi

| The Sun | News | Editorials | Features | Sun Blogs | Classifieds | Events | Recipes | PodCasts |

| About | Submit an Article | Contact Us | Advertise | HareKrsna.com |

Copyright 2005, HareKrsna.com. All rights reserved.