Divine 'Miracle' Vegetarian Crocodile That Lived in a Temple Dies at 75

A divine "miracle" vegetarian crocodile that lived in the lakes surrounding an Indian temple has died at 75.

The "vegetarian" crocodile known as Babiya lived in a pond at the Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Temple in Ananthapura in Kasaragod, Kerala state. It's locally believed the crocodile watched over and protected the temple, which is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu.

Babiya was considered a "divine crocodile." It's said she lived on offerings from the temple, such as Prasada, which is usually boiled rice cooked for worshippers, The Times of India reported.

Temple officials claimed the divine crocodile didn't consume any of the wildlife that also lived in the pond, such as fish or turtles.

Crocodiles are revered creatures in Hinduism. In Hindu mythology, the reptiles are considered the protectors and guardians of gateways.

The crocodile passed away from age-related illness, temple officials told The Times of India. She was laid to rest on October 10.

The reptile was decorated with flowers and offerings before being put on a bed of leaves and buried. The body was also displayed inside a freezer, where local people could pay their respects.

Ravinarayana Gunaje was one of many mourners to attend the funeral.

"People [came] in thousands to pay their tributes to the Babiya," Gunaje told Newsweek. "It was laid to rest in a 6 feet [deep] pit."

Gunaje said the crocodile had watched over the temple since 1945. It wasn't the first crocodile to have lived at the temple.

"There was another Crocodile before this one. The British Soldiers who [were] stationed near the Temple during 1945 visited the temple. That Crocodile name is also Babiya, that used to come out of its cave at the corner of the lake if anybody calls it by name," Gunaje said. "One of the British Soldier killed the crocodile by firing and instantly he was dies by the snake bite which came down from the near by big tree. This crocodile appeared in the same lake on the next day of previous crocodile's death. So this crocodile is there exist since 1945."

Shobha Karandlaje, minister for India's agriculture and farmers' welfare, described Babiya as "god's own crocodile."

"Babiya, the god's own crocodile of Sri Anantapura Lake temple has reached Vishnu Padam," Karandlaje said in a tweet. "The divine crocodile lived in the temple's lake for over 70years by eating the rice & jaggery prasadam of Sri Ananthapadmanabha Swamy & guarded the temple. May she attain Sadgati, Om Shanti!"