Babiya, "Vegetarian Crocodile", Dies In Kerala's Kasaragod Lake Temple

Babiya, a vegetarian crocodile of Kasaragod's Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Temple, died on Sunday night. The 75-year-old reptile was a sight of curiosity for devotees. The male crocodile lived in the pond and consumed only the rice and jaggery offerings at the temple. 

Devotees offered the Prasada twice a day after the pujas at the temple. According to a report by The Hindu, it is believed that in 1945 a British soldier shot a crocodile in the temple and within days, Babiya appeared in the temple pond. 

The otherwise carnivore animal was never a threat to anyone and soon received the name of a vegetarian crocodile. The crocodile was not keeping well for the past few days and was taken to veterinary surgeons from Mangaluru's Pilikula Biological Park, Udayakumar R Gatty, trustee of the temple told Manorama. He further said, "In the past two days, Babiya did not come up for food. We launched a search but could not find it. Sunday night, we saw it dead in the lake."

To honour the crocodile, the temple will bury Babiya in the temple ground. 

Babiya had access to all the places in the temple and would be in the lake around the temple or basked on the temple stairs. During the hot months, Babiya stayed at Vana Shastara, a laterite pond for cattle, 60m away in the temple compound.

Many devotees paid tribute to Babiya and its body is placed in a mobile freezer.