Indian temple welcomes life-size mechanical elephant in move to protect wildlife
The lifelike robot offers an ethical alternative to the country’s estimated 2,500 temple elephants who are kept in captivity to be used in processions and in acts of worship.
Credit: PETA India
It is estimated that there are around 2,500 captive elephants in India who are kept at temples to be used in processions and in acts of worship.
But animal advocacy and wildlife groups argue that elephants do not cope well in captivity. Temple elephants often suffer physical and psychological distress, and also present a danger to worshippers as human fatalities are a common occurrence.
Now, a temple in the state of Karnataka has welcomed a life-size mechanical elephant, in a move that is being described as helping to preserve cultural traditions whilst still allowing elephants to remain in the wild.
The Sri Siddalingeshwara Swamy Temple in Yedeyur, Kunigal Taluk, Tumkur District, was chosen as the recipient for the lifelike robot elephant after the temple pledged to never own or hire live elephants. It is the first Muzrai or government temple in the country to use the technology.
The elephant, named Niranjana, was gifted to the temple on behalf of the actor Samyukta Hornad, along with support from animal advocacy groups PETA India and Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA).
Credit: PETA India
Niranjana’s arrival at the temple was celebrated with an inauguration ceremony held last week. The ancient temple is a pilgrimage center dedicated to an incarnation of Lord Shiva, and attracts thousands of devotees and tourists each year.
“Technological innovation enables us to preserve our deep cultural traditions and heritage while also allowing captive elephants to live with their families in their natural habitat,” said Shri Ramalinga Reddy, Karnataka’s Honourable Minister of Muzrai and Transport, who supported the project.
The dangers of temple elephants
Advocacy groups say temple elephants suffer physical and emotional abuse, including painful training processes and inadequate health care.
Many elephants held captive in temples and other places suffer from extremely painful foot problems and leg wounds due to being chained on concrete for hours on end, according to PETA India, and most of them are denied adequate food, water, veterinary care, and any semblance of a natural life.
Temple elephants like the one pictured are common throughout India. Credit: Amy Jones/Moving Animals
The training process to force the elephants into submission has also been criticized, with beatings and the use of weapons like bullhooks - a stick with a sharp metal spike on one end - widespread.
Elephants are large, unpredictable animals and keeping them in captivity has also proven deadly to humans. According to figures compiled by the Heritage Animal Task Force, captive elephants killed 526 people during a 15-year period in the state of Kerala alone. One of the state’s most often used elephants in Kerala’s festival circuit, Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran, has reportedly killed 13 individuals over 40 years of captivity.
But temples are increasingly looking towards ethical alternatives to captive elephants. PETA India are among groups that are encouraging all venues and events using elephants to switch to lifelike mechanical elephants instead. The advocacy group has already donated four life-size mechanical elephants to non-government temples across the country.
“These compassionate alternatives will not only allow endangered elephants to live with their families in the wild, it’s good for people, too, in the longer run”, explained actor Samyukta Hornad, who donated the robotic elephant to the Sri Siddalingeshwara Swamy Temple this week. “This won’t take away the old cultural traditions; all we take away is bullhooks, pain, and misery of elephants.”
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