Prasun Sonwalkar

London, October 23 (PTI) Ganesh Vijay, a baby elephant born following artificial insemination of an elephant brought here from an Indian sanctuary, has been blessed according to Hindu rites amidst a large crowd at the Tycross Zoo in Leicestershire.

Mahendra Pandya, a priest at Leicester's Jalaram Prarthana Mandal, performed the ceremony.

He first blessed Ganesh Vijay's mother, Noor Jehan, who was brought here from the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in West Bengal in 1998.

Later, Pandya applied 'sindoor' (vermilion) and a grain of rice to Ganesh Vijay as crowds cheered the ceremony.

The baby elephant was first named Ganesh after a competition run by Sabras Sound Radio, a prominent Asian radio station in the Midlands.

Its keepers added Vijay to his name.

Pandya said after the ceremony: "This is the same ceremony we would perform for people.