'Baby Babiya' reappears at Ananthapuram Temple

KASARAGOD: A newly discovered crocodile has reappeared in the Ananthapuram Temple pond in Kumbala. The new baby crocodile, named Babiya-3, arrived for everyone to see on the north side of Anappadi near the shrine at around 5 pm last day.

Subramania Bhatt, the temple priest, who closed the temple at 1 pm, came in the evening and saw the four and a half feet long baby crocodile. Pujari captured the scene on his mobile phone. After lying there for half an hour, the crocodile went into the water. The presence of the baby crocodile was identified last November.

The real Babiya, that lived for 80 years, died on October 9, 2022. Astrologers predicted that another crocodile would come in its place. The Kumbala Ananthapuram Lake Temple is believed to be related to the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. It is said that the crocodile that preceded Babiya was shot dead by the British Army in 1945. Babiya appeared in the temple pond within days.