Sri Lanka’s most sacred elephant will be stuffed and put on display after dying aged 68

Nadungamuwa Raja was one of two elephant calves gifted by Indian king to Sri Lankan monk

A group of Sri Lankan Buddhist monks invoke blessings on Nadungamuwa Raja, which died on 7 March (EPA)

Authorities in Sri Lanka have ordered a state funeral after the country’s most sacred elephant died on Monday, saying the animal’s remains will be stuffed and preserved for posterity.

Nadungamuwa Raja, which died at the age of 68 near Colombo, was considered to be the largest tamed elephant in Asia and was 10.5ft tall. It played an important role in Buddhist religious events and was one of the most celebrated elephants during its lifetime.

The elephant was born in India in 1953 and was reportedly among two calves gifted to a Sri Lankan monk by the king of Mysore.

The elephant carried the main casket bearing the holy tooth relic of lord Buddha in the annual Esala Perahera pageant, an important religious event that was a major tourist attraction in the city of Kandy.

The animal walked in the pageant surrounded by fire-eaters and drummers, and even had its own security detail. The pageant takes place in July, and Raja participated for 11 years, according to the Press Trust of India.

In a statement on Twitter, president Gotabaya Rajapaksa said: “King of Elephants, who has been revered by the people of the country and abroad for many years, I wish you to attain the great Nirvana of a future soul by the inspiration of the noble deed carried in honor of the Sacred Ark at the Temple of the Tooth!”

Mr Rajapaksa’s office said that the president had instructed that the body of the tusker be preserved for future generations and named it “a national treasure”.

Raja’s remains would be handed over to taxidermists for stuffing after Buddhist funeral rites are performed, according to AFP.

Tradition ordains that only elephants with specific physical traits can be selected for this role, reported The Guardian. These elephants need to have a flat back, specially curved tusks and when they stand, all seven points of the elephant– their four legs, trunk, penis and tail – must touch the ground.