Swami Baba Ramdev Enchanted by First Mechanical Elephant at a Wedding, Applauds PETA India Initiative
For Immediate Release:
12 February 2026
Contact:
Sanskriti Bansore; [email protected]
Anushka Yadav; [email protected]
Bengaluru— Renowned yoga guru Swami Baba Ramdev is enchanted by and appreciated the presence of a mechanical elephant, Padmanabham, at a recent wedding in Bengaluru—the first to be used for the purpose—describing such marvels as “truly beautiful and remarkable, thoughtful man-made creations, where no living being is harmed, and all the rituals are still performed properly”. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India (PETA India), in close collaboration with the bride and groom, Urvi and Karan, Nitin Arora Photography and Wed FM India, worked together to advance the shared initiative to re-imagine weddings with compassion, safety and creativity. Mechanical elephant Padmanabham is first-of-its-kind a realistic elephant designed to replace real elephants for weddings and temple processions.
The photos and a video of Swami Baba Ramdev and mechanical elephant Padmanabham at the wedding are available upon request.
“Elephants used for weddings are controlled through fear and suffer immense physical and psychological abuse,” said PETA India’s Vice President of Policy, Khushboo Gupta. “Mechanical elephants offer a compassionate alternative, allowing couples to celebrate weddings without causing harm to animals and while ensuring the safety of guests. PETA India urges everyone to choose animal-free weddings.”
On choosing to celebrate their wedding with a mechanical elephant, Urvi and Karan said, “As we celebrate our love, not just for each other but for all living beings, using a mechanical elephant felt like the right choice. Like us, elephants also have families, and they want to live together in their forest homes. If our choice can inspire even one couple to make a kind choice, it will mean a lot to us.”
“I am so pleased that we could demonstrate our love for animals and inspire positive change at our daughter’s wedding,” said Bride’s father, Deepak Hiremath. “Our guests were very happy to see this life-like elephant and we hope that it will inspire other families to make compassionate choices for their celebrations.”
“Our podcast with PETA India highlighted the suffering of animals and the solutions available to make weddings a joy for all,” said Shanaya Arora, Founder of Wed FM India. “The idea of compassionate weddings resonated, and the mechanical elephant at this wedding is a testament that respect for animals and celebrations can go hand in hand.”
“Guests were thrilled and completely surprised by Padmanabham, the mechanical elephant. Many even thought the elephant was real,” said Nitin Arora, Founder of Nitin Arora Photography. “It was a powerful reminder that ethical choices can still create unforgettable moments. Mechanical elephants are a dignified and responsible alternative that the industry must embrace.”
Elephants are intelligent, active, and gregarious wild animals. In captivity, they are trained to be used for weddings and other events through beatings, the use of weapons and force. Most elephants held captive for use in temples, processions, tourist rides and weddings 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.
Mechanical elephants are 3-meter-tall and weigh 500 kilograms. Created by local artisans from Kerala, mechanical elephants 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 by the groom, 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.
PETA India’s motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”. For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow PETA India on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
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