Robots are now playing a bigger role in daily life, changing how people work and live. In Kerala, temples have started using robotic elephants for religious ceremonies. This is the first time temples are using such technology. The purpose is to make ceremonies safer and kinder to animals. With these robotic elephants, real elephants can stay in the jungle instead of being taken for temple rituals.

These robotic elephants are made to look and act like real ones. They are 3 meters tall and weigh about 800 kilograms. They are built using materials like rubber, fiber, metal, mesh, foam, and steel. These mechanical elephants run on five motors, which help them move their heads, ears, and tails. They can also lift their trunks and even spray water, just like real elephants.

In many temples, real elephants are used in religious processions. These events have loud music, bright flashing lights, and large crowds, which can be stressful for the animals. But now, robotic elephants provide a safer and kinder option. They work with electricity and have wheels, making them easy to move around during festivals and ceremonies.

Ending cruelty against elephants

Elephants are smart and friendly animals that like to live freely in the jungle. But in many temples across India, they are kept in small spaces and made to take part in religious events. Animal rights group PETA India has spoken out about this, saying that these elephants often suffer because they are not allowed to live naturally. They report that more than 2,700 captive elephants in India suffer from “severe physical and psychological stress.”

Despite being herd animals, these elephants are often kept alone and chained for long hours. CG Prakash, a former official at the Chakkamparambu Bhagavathy temple in Kerala, said, “It is a wild animal; it likes to live in jungles. We are capturing it and torturing it. It’s unethical," reported AFP. Prakash played a key role in bringing robotic elephants to the temple.

A group called the Voice for Asian Elephants Society donated these robotic elephants to help temples follow traditions without harming real elephants. PETA India also supports this idea because many elephants in captivity are treated badly. They are often beaten and controlled with weapons, which causes them pain and stress. Some elephants become so frustrated that they attack people. In Kerala alone, captive elephants have killed 526 people in 15 years.

To solve this problem, PETA India started a movement in early 2023 to replace real elephants with robotic ones in religious events. So far, 13 robotic elephants have been introduced in temples across South India, with PETA India helping to donate eight of them.

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