Richa Chadha Backs Animal Rights As PETA India, CUPA Gift Mechanical Elephant To Karnataka Temple

Actor Richa Chadha has joined PETA India and Compassion Unlimited Plus Action in donating a life-size mechanical elephant to Shri Chayadevi Shri Shanaishwara Swamy Kshetra in Bengaluru, adding fresh momentum to a growing shift away from live elephants in temple rituals. The mechanical elephant, named Neela Prabha, was presented to the temple after it committed to never owning or hiring a real elephant.

The unveiling took place at the Bengaluru temple in the presence of businessman and philanthropist Shri Dhayananda R, Renukeshwara MR, Chairman of Fabcare & Façade, temple officials and devotees. The ceremony included cultural performances and bhajans, keeping the focus on tradition while introducing a cruelty-free alternative for religious processions and rituals.

Richa Chadha backs cruelty-free temple traditions

Richa Chadha said the initiative offered a way to honour long-standing customs without forcing elephants into captivity. “I am pleased to collaborate with PETA India in presenting Neela Prabha to Shri Chayadevi Shri Shanaishwara Swamy Kshetra, Bengaluru. This mechanical elephant will help preserve the temple’s age-old traditions while ensuring that real elephants are spared from captivity and can thrive in their natural surroundings,” she said.

The actor added that the Bengaluru setting made the initiative especially meaningful. “It is particularly meaningful for me to be associated with this initiative in Bangalore, a city known for its rich culture and heritage,” she said. Chadha has previously been associated with animal welfare campaigns, and her participation gives the temple donation wider public visibility beyond religious and conservation circles.

Temple administrator Adityanan said the arrival of Neela Prabha showed that places of worship could adapt without losing their cultural role. “Temples have long served as centres of spiritual guidance and social progress. The arrival of Neela Prabha demonstrates that cultural practices can evolve in ways that reflect kindness and responsibility,” he said.

He added, “I am delighted to be part of this occasion and hope this initiative encourages more institutions to adopt compassionate practices that protect elephants from a lifetime of captivity.” The statement reflects a debate now visible in several states, where temples are rethinking the use of live elephants during festivals, ceremonies and public processions.

What makes Neela Prabha different from a live elephant

Neela Prabha is designed to resemble an elephant used in ceremonial settings, but without the welfare concerns linked to captivity. According to details shared by the organisers, mechanical elephants used in such donations are about three metres tall and weigh around 500 kilograms. They are made using rubber, fibre, metal, mesh, foam and steel.

The model runs on five motors and can move its head, ears, eyes, tail and trunk. It can also spray water, an action often associated with ceremonial elephants. A seat can be attached on its back, and the elephant can be mounted on a wheelbase, making it usable during temple rituals, processions and public events.

Unlike a live elephant, the mechanical version needs no chains, handlers, forced training, transport stress, fodder, veterinary care or enclosure. It can be operated by connecting it to electricity. For temples, this makes the alternative both symbolic and practical, especially in crowded urban areas where managing a captive elephant can be difficult and risky.

PETA India has been facilitating such donations to religious institutions that agree not to use live elephants. Neela Prabha is the 28th robotic elephant donation facilitated by the organisation across India and the ninth such donation in Karnataka. The Bengaluru donation was also supported by CUPA, a long-running animal welfare organisation based in the city.

Why temple elephant welfare is under scrutiny

Animal welfare groups have repeatedly raised concerns about elephants kept for temples, private events and public ceremonies. Elephants are wild, intelligent and social animals that naturally move across large distances in herds. In captivity, they are often kept alone, restrained for long periods and exposed to hard surfaces, noise and crowds.

Campaigners say many captive elephants suffer from foot problems, leg wounds and stress-related behaviour after years of chaining and confinement. Training methods used to control elephants for processions have also been criticised for relying on force, fear and restrictive tools. In some cases, distressed elephants have injured or killed mahouts, devotees or other animals.

The issue is sensitive because elephants hold deep cultural and religious significance in India. They appear in temple rituals, festivals, art and mythology. The growing use of mechanical elephants is not presented as a rejection of that symbolism, but as an attempt to separate reverence for the animal from the practice of keeping one in captivity.

For devotees, the shift can allow familiar rituals to continue with fewer welfare and safety risks. For temples, it offers a way to respond to changing public attitudes while maintaining ceremonial continuity. The technology is still relatively new in public religious life, but each adoption makes the idea more visible and socially acceptable.

Shri Chayadevi Shri Shanaishwara Swamy Kshetra is among Bengaluru’s well-known spiritual centres dedicated to Lord Shani. The temple draws devotees from Karnataka and other regions, especially those seeking blessings linked to justice, relief from hardships, prosperity and well-being. Its decision may influence other institutions that are weighing similar alternatives.

Neela Prabha’s arrival places the Bengaluru temple within a wider movement where faith practices and animal welfare are being brought together rather than treated as opposing concerns. With public figures, welfare organisations and temple authorities supporting the model, mechanical elephants are likely to remain part of India’s evolving conversation on compassionate tradition.