Actor Shriya Saran and PETA India Gift Life-Size Mechanical Elephant to ISKCON Kanpur
Actor Shriya Saran and PETA India have donated a life-size mechanical elephant, Gajaraja, to ISKCON Kanpur, making it the first temple in North India and the first religious institution in Uttar Pradesh to welcome a mechanical elephant.
Gajaraja was unveiled in the presence of ISKCON Kanpur temple President, Shri Prem Harinam Prabhu; Vice President, Shri Radha Ranjan Prabhu; special guest, Managing Director of KTL Pvt. Ltd., Shri Mahendra Kumar Agrawal and Shri Prabhodanand Saraswati Swami; temple management council members Shri Amritesh Krishna Prabhu and Shri Neelmani Krishna Prabhu, along with temple officials and devotees.
This new mechanical elephant, Gajaraja, marks the 26th robotic elephant donation across the country, facilitated by PETA India in recognition of the temple’s compassionate decision to never own or hire live elephants. The mechanical elephant was welcomed through an inauguration ceremony, soulful kirtan and a cultural performance.
“I am pleased to join hands with PETA India in presenting Gajaraja to ISKCON Kanpur. This mechanical elephant will allow the temple to continue age-old traditions while allowing elephants, earthly representatives of Lord Ganesha, to thrive in their natural habitats. This initiative holds special significance for me, as it will be the first mechanical elephant in Uttar Pradesh state.”
– Shriya Saran, Actor
“In the Bhagavad Gita (12.13), Shri Krishna says that a true devotee is a kind friend to all living entities (maitrah karuṇa eva ca). True devotion cannot exist without compassion. This initiative allows us to maintain the spiritual grandeur of our temple processions while ensuring that no living creature is subjected to stress or confinement. It is a harmonious blend of modern innovation and our traditions.”
– Shri Prem Harinam Prabhu, ISKCON Kanpur President
The founder Acharya of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada, taught that animals have souls and are God’s creatures deserving compassion, with similarities to humans in their basic needs like eating, sleeping, and defending themselves. He considered killing animals for food to be a form of violence, arguing that a truly spiritual civilization would protect animals and allow them to live natural lives, while cow protection was especially vital for a Vedic culture.
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. According to figures compiled by the Heritage Animal Task Force, captive elephants killed 526 people in Kerala in a 15-year period. Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran, who has been in captivity for about 40 years and is one of the most often used elephants in Kerala’s festival circuit, has reportedly killed 13 individuals – six mahouts, four women, and three elephants.
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.
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