Sacred elephant carrying 650kg gold shrine goes on rampage during Hindu festival

Summary

An elephant carrying a 650kg sacred gold shrine went on a rampage during a Hindu festival. The elephant, Somananna, had its trunk decorated with red and gold paint and was leading the main procession of the 10-day Navaratri festival through the streets when it lost its bearings.

Timeline

1. Sydney Morning Herald

   22 Oct 2026, 04:41 UTCSource ↗

   The Sydney Morning Herald reports that an elephant carrying a 650kg sacred gold shrine went on a rampage during a Hindu festival.

2. Sydney Morning Herald

   22 Oct 2026, 05:15 UTCSource ↗

   The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Somananna, a sacred elephant with its trunk adorned in red and gold paint, lost its bearings while leading the main procession of the 10-day Navaratri festival through the streets and went on a rampage while carrying a 650kg gold shrine.