Thrissur (Kerala), Feb 4 (PTI): In a significant step towards ethical and cruelty-free religious practices, the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, in collaboration with renowned sitarist and 2025 Grammy nominee Anoushka Shankar, will be donating a life-size mechanical elephant to the Kombara Sreekrishna Swami Temple in Thrissur.
The three-meter-tall mechanical elephant, named Kombara Kannan, is being presented to honor the temple's commitment to refraining from hiring or keeping real elephants, PETA India said in a statement on Tuesday. The 800-kilogram robotic elephant will be officially unveiled at the temple on Wednesday by Satish Vimalan, Secretary of the Unnayi Variyar Memorial Kalanilayam.
This initiative marks the fifth mechanical elephant that PETA India has gifted to temples across Kerala and the second in Thrissur district. The organization has also extended an offer to provide a mechanical elephant to a mosque in Malappuram district for use in religious ceremonies.
According to PETA India, such mechanical elephants serve as ethical alternatives, allowing real elephants to remain in the wild with their families rather than enduring captivity, chains, and control through weapons. These robotic jumbos are crafted from rubber, fiber, metal, mesh, foam, and steel and operate on five motors.
Designed to replicate real elephants, Kombara Kannan can move its ears and eyes, swish its tail, shake its head, lift its trunk, and even spray water. Additionally, it can be ridden and maneuvered through streets during religious processions, as it is mounted on a wheelbase and functions by simply being plugged in.
This initiative aligns with PETA India's ongoing efforts to promote animal welfare and provide innovative, cruelty-free solutions for cultural and religious practices.
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