Penugonda, Dec. 15: The white piglet that began circumambulating the dhwaja sthambham of the Venkateswara Swamy temple on Sunday, collapsed at about for 4.30 pm on Monday. Thousands of people had watched the piglet which circumambuled the pillar well into the second day at Sidhantham village in Penugonda mandal in the West Godavari.
The piglet had been continuously circling the dhwaja sthambham with occasional breaks, without accepting any food A veterinarian found that the animal had become weak and its pulse rate had fallen. As the piglet lay on the floor, devotees offered it dry grass, shifted it on to a gunny bag and covered it with a cloth.
Devotees, temple staff and a veterinary doctor are keeping an eye on the animal, whose condition is critical. Prominent vedic pandit Chirravuri Krishna Somayajulu said, "The piglet has taken up deeksha by observing fast in the presence of Venkateswara Swamy. On December 16, Dhanur Masam will begin and the doors of Vaikuntam will be opened." Devotees fear it may not survive that long.
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