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Raja Museum – tribute to an honored elephant in Asia By Arundathie Abeysinghe   Raja the Maligawa tusker or Maligawa Raja (meaning Raja of Dalada Maligawa – Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy) was the sacred casket bearer of Kandy *Esala Perahera (procession) for over 50 years as well as the sacred casket bearer in the *Randoli Perahera for 37 years. Raja was the most honored and dignified elephant in Asia during his lifetime. Raja (1913 – 1988) was globally renowned for his dignified manners during the procession. Former President J.R. Jayewardene declared Raja as a national treasure in 1986 for his valuable services to the religion (Buddhism) and culture of Sri Lanka, two years before his death at the age of 75.  Raja was respected by the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic during his lifetime as well as after his death. Taxidermy experts preserved the dead animal’s ...