PETA India and Anoushka Shankar Introduce Mechanical Elephant to Kerala Temple

PETA India and Grammy nominee Anoushka Shankar are gifting a life-size mechanical elephant named Kombara Kannan to the Kombara Sreekrishna Swami Temple. This initiative, part of PETA's efforts to replace real elephants in religious ceremonies, highlights the temple's commitment to animal welfare.

PETA India, in collaboration with sitarist Anoushka Shankar, has announced the donation of a life-size mechanical elephant to the Kombara Sreekrishna Swami Temple. This gesture honors the temple's pledge to abstain from using real elephants.

The mechanical elephant, named Kombara Kannan, stands at three metres tall and weighs 800 kilograms. Crafted from materials including rubber and metal, it will be unveiled at the temple by Satish Vimalan on Wednesday.

This marks the fifth such donation by PETA India to temples in Kerala. The initiative aims to keep real elephants in their natural habitats, free from the burdens often imposed on them during religious ceremonies.

(With inputs from agencies.)