### The New Elephant Temple: A Spiritual Sanctuary in the Heart of the Zoo Surrounded by lush vegetation, the gentle whisper of the wind through the trees, and an aura of mist in the air. Suddenly, you find yourself in front of the imposing Elephant Temple, a faithful replica of an ancient octagonal Hindu temple from Bombay. Its exterior walls are decorated with columns, human statues, animal sculptures, and small minarets crowning the composition. Its solid wooden doors invite you to enter another world, a portal to spirituality and a connection with nature. As you cross the threshold, you are greeted by rays of sunlight streaming through an oculus in the octagonal dome, marking the passage of time and the seasons. Inside the meditation hall, an open-air circular space with a diameter of 50 meters is surrounded by a water moat filled with aquatic plants such as lotuses. The floor, decorated with a colorful mandala featuring the drawing of a lotus flower, a symbol of spiritual purity, with the Om in the center, resonates with the natural vibrations that fill the space. People engage in guided group meditations and yoga activities under the serene sounds of birds and small animals like monkeys. The New Elephant Temple will not only be a spiritual refuge in the midst of urban hustle and bustle but also a living reminder of the importance of preserving and respecting wildlife. This sanctuary within the Palermo Zoo promises to be a place where body and mind find harmony, guided by the ancestral wisdom of the elephants and the natural beauty that surrounds them. --ar 3:2