ISKCON Visakhapatnam to Welcome Andhra Pradesh’s First Mechanical Elephant—Gifted by Actor Adivi Sesh and PETA India During Sharad Purnima Celebrations
Actor Adivi Sesh and PETA India have donated Andhra Pradesh’s first life-size mechanical elephant, Ranga, to Sri Sri Radha Damodar Temple, ISKCON Visakhapatnam. Ranga was unveiled by Chairman of Governing Body Commission of ISKCON, Shri H.G. Madhusevita Prabhu in the presence of ISKCON Visakhapatnam Temple President, Shri H.G. Samba Das Prabhu; Spiritual Mentor, Dr Nitaisevini Mataji; temple officials and devotees.
The initiative was facilitated by PETA India in recognition of the temple’s compassionate decision to never own or hire live elephants. This new mechanical elephant, Ranga, marks the 33rd robotic elephant donation facilitated by PETA India across seven states in India. The mechanical elephant was welcomed through an inauguration ceremony followed by a ceremonial procession and soulful bhajans.
“It’s truly special for me to join hands with PETA India in donating mechanical elephant Ranga to ISKCON Vizag. I applaud the temple management and devotees for embracing a compassionate way to celebrate the traditions. This thoughtful step of compassion in action will inspire many more temples across the country to adopt humane innovations like this and help protect elephants for generations to come.” – Adivi Sesh, Actor
“True spirituality is rooted in compassion. By embracing a mechanical elephant for our celebrations, we can honour our sacred traditions while ensuring that no living being is made to suffer in the process. We hope this initiative inspires devotees to deepen their devotion through kindness, responsibility, and respect for all of Krishna’s creation.” – Shri H.G. Madhusevita Prabhu, Chairman of the Governing Body Commission of ISKCON
“The introduction of this mechanical elephant marks a meaningful step for ISKCON Visakhapatnam. Our traditions are deeply rooted in devotion, and we believe they can continue to flourish while embracing compassionate alternatives. This initiative allows devotees to experience the grandeur of our celebrations without subjecting live elephants to the demands of religious events, and we hope it inspires more temples to consider similar approaches.” – Shri H.G Samba Das, ISKCON Visakhapatnam Temple President
Elephants are intelligent, active, and gregarious wild animals. In captivity, they are trained to be used in processions through beatings, the use of weapons and force. Most elephants held captive in temples and other places suffer from excruciating foot problems and leg wounds due to chaining to concrete for hours on end. Most are denied adequate food, water, veterinary care, and any semblance of a natural life. Under these hellish conditions, many elephants become intensely frustrated and lash out, sometimes killing mahouts or other humans or animals. Earlier this month, the elephant at Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple in Tiruchanoor, Tirupati, reportedly attacked the mahout and charged at devotees, underscoring the risks that live elephants pose to public safety at religious gatherings, temples, and other events.
The introduction of a life-size mechanical elephant at ISKCON Visakhapatnam marks an important step towards forward, allowing devotees to experience cherished traditions and processions without placing either elephants or people at risk.
Mechanical elephants are 3-meter-tall and weigh 500 kilograms. They are made with rubber, fibre, metal, mesh, foam, and steel and run on five motors. A mechanical elephant looks, feels, and can be used like a real elephant. It can shake its head, move its ears and eyes, swish its tail, lift its trunk, and even spray water. They can be climbed upon, and a seat can be affixed on the back. They can be operated simply by plugging and playing with electricity. They can be taken through the streets and are mounted on a wheelbase, allowing them to be moved and pushed around for rituals and processions.
ISKCON Visakhapatnam, home to Sri Sri Radha Damodar temple, is a prominent spiritual centre in the city and an important hub for Krishna consciousness in Andhra Pradesh. Located along the shores of the Bay of Bengal, the temple has served devotees and visitors for decades, offering a space for worship, kirtan, spiritual learning, prasadam distribution, and community service. The temple is known for its vibrant celebrations of major Vaishnava festivals and its efforts to share the teachings of Lord Krishna and Srila Prabhupada with people across the region.
