Blessing for Aussie Elephant

We were dscussing Multiculturalism" in Australia in lat class. I happened o see this article in the "Heral Sun", which I think s a good exampleof the journey of Multicultural Australia. The artile "Blessing for Aussie Eephant", proves the presence of flourishig cultures in the country. A window to Australian culture -celebrating the birth of first local born elephant in traditinal Buddhist ceremony.

Sheetal Kumar (Goldy).

The Article:

AUSTRALIA'S first locally-born elephant calf was blessed for good health and success during a traditional Buddhist ceremony in Sydney today.

Taronga Zoo's six-week-old Asian elephant calf, Luk Chai, which means son or male child in Thai, received prayers then had water sprinkled over him by monks on this morning.

The blessing was led by senior monk Pra Ratcha Silaporn from Wat Buddharangsee forest monastery in Leumeah with help from eight monks from temples in Sydney and Canberra.

'''The Reverend Bill Crews, from the Exodus Foundation, a Christian welfare organisation based in Sydney that helps disadvantaged Australians, carried out an ecumenical blessing by burning gum leaves. '''

Luk Chai appeared unaware of the first part of the ceremony, and continued dunking his trunk in the moat surrounding his enclosure during prayers lasting 10 minutes.

But he later warmed to the monks and wrapped his trunk around their hands as water was sprinkled over him inside his pen, under the watchful eye of his mother Thong Dee.

Taronga Zoo director Guy Cooper said Luk Chai's birth gave hope for the conservation of Asian elephants and had helped forge closer ties between Australia and Thailand.

``With the global response to the challenges of conservation we can only have hope for the future of wildlife,'' he told crowds watching the ceremonies.

Thai Consul-General Khun Kiattikhun was among those watching.

Taronga's elephants arrived from Thailand in 2006.

'''Luk Chai, born on July 4, is the first elephant to be successfully bred in Australia. '''

He remains a crowd pleaser and is said to regularly turn the water hose on his keepers during bath time.

Two of the other elephants in the herd are expected to give birth in 2010 and 2011.