Gundlupet: Every day as the Sun is setting, a tusker visits the temple, offers prayers, takes the prasada and leaves. This astonishing incident though sounds bizarre occurs every evening at the Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta in Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

Since the last few days at around 5 pm, a lone tusker climbs the steps of the Himavad Gopalaswamy temple, consumes the leftovers left by the devotees like prasada, plantain leaf and vegetables. The temple security and the forest staff were watching this behaviour of the elephant every day.

A few days ago, the elephant came at around 4 pm, circumambulated the temple, lifted its trunk, and prayed to Lord Gopalaswamy. Then it tried to enter the kitchen and as it could not enter it, demanded the prasada stretching its trunk. It ate the prasad offered in a plate and left.

Even as this has become its daily routine, the pachyderm studiously avoids the devotees, the security, the vehicle drivers and the priests in the temple and continues to offer its prayers, eats the prasada and leaves without disturbing anyone.

Elephants are known for many human traits and this one of bhakthi has impressed everyone.

Sri Himavad Gopalaswamy is the protector of all living beings. The wild tusker is showing its devotion to the God and coming here since a few days to offer prayers and receive the prasada. It is not disturbing anyone. — Gopalakrishna Bhat, Chief Priest