PETA India, along with actor Vedhika, has gifted a life-sized mechanical elephant to the Edayar Sree Vadakkumbad Shiva Vishnu Temple in Kerala. This gift is to honor the temple's decision to never use real elephants. The mechanical elephant is called 'Vadakkumbad Sankaranarayanan' and was officially introduced on November 14, which is also Children's Day, by child actor Sreepath Yan.

PETA India said that 'Vadakkumbad Sankaranarayanan' will be used for temple ceremonies in a safe and kind way. This will allow real elephants to stay in the wild, living peacefully with their families, instead of being used in temple rituals. This donation is the fourth time PETA India has given a mechanical elephant to a temple in Kerala.

Actor Vedhika and child artist Yan attend the donation ceremony

In her speech, Vedhika praised the initiative and explained that it will ensure temple ceremonies are conducted without causing harm to elephants. She said, “By embracing this change, we allow these magnificent animals to remain in their natural habitats, living freely with their families. Together, we can celebrate tradition while promoting compassion and conservation.”

Sreepath Yan, a child actor who has won a national award, said he was very excited about the event. He mentioned that 'Vadakkumbad Sankaranarayanan' looks just like a real elephant. He also shared how happy he was to be part of this important event.

Edayar Sree Vadakkumbad Shiva Vishnu Temple president K Narayanan Namboothiri also shared his thoughts, stating, “In honour of all the holy animals who wish to wander the land freely and safely with their loved ones, we are honoured to have Vadakkumbad Sankaranarayanan, a mechanical elephant, join us.”

PETA India’s statement also mentioned the dangers of keeping elephants in captivity. The Heritage Animal Task Force reported that captive elephants killed 526 people in Kerala over 15 years. PETA India has already donated other mechanical elephants to temples in Kerala, including 'Irinjadappilly Raman' at the Irinjadappilly Sree Krishna Temple, 'Mahadevan' at the Thrikkayil Mahadeva Temple, and 'Baladhasan' at the Pournamikavu Temple.

PETA India urges all temples and events that use real elephants to switch to realistic mechanical elephants. This would make the ceremonies safer and more respectful to animals.