The pet elephant of Satya Saibaba, Sai Geeta (47), which died of illness at Puttaparthi on Tuesday evening, was buried with traditional rites near the newly constructed indoor stadium in Puttaparthi on Wednesday.

Saibaba was found in tears as his beloved pet was being buried.

He spent about three hours near the body of Sai Geeta before it was laid to rest in a shelter specially constructed for it when it was alive.

The pachyderm slipped near the bathing pond at around 12.15 pm and it breathed its last around 6.15 pm. The elephant was presented to Saibaba as a calf in 1962 by the then Governor of Kerala Ramakrishna Rao.

The animal used to wish Saibaba first on his birthday every year on November 23 by garlanding him. Besides, it used to lead all processions related to Prashanti Nilayam.

District Forest Officer Kallol Biswas said the animal died of old age.