Babiya, known as the divine crocodile, in Ananthapadmanabhaswamy temple, Ananthapuram in Kasaragod died last night, aged about 75 years. She was also known as the vegetarian crocodile.
Legend says that in 1945, a British officer shot at a crocodile in the temple and within a few days another small crocodile appeared in the temple pond. And the temple priest continued to call her Babiya.
She was offered food after morning and afternoon prayers. It is believed that Ananthapadmanabhaswamy is the origin of Shri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram.
After devotees would give their offering to the priest, the priest would go towards the lake and give the offering. Babiya would obediently come out of the pond and eat it. Babiya never harmed anyone in the pond. Devotees believed Babiya was guarding the Lord Ananthapadmanabha.
Tributes started pouring in for Babiya from all the devotees.