Devotion and innovation have come together at the Sri Sakthi Vinayagar temple here, where a five-motor mechanical elephant has replaced the use of live elephants, signalling a modern shift in Tamil Nadu’s religious practices.
Actor Sonu Sood and his son Ayaan, along with PETA India and People for Cattle in India, donated the life-size robotic elephant named Airavatham to the temple. The aim is to ensure that sacred rituals can continue without causing suffering to live elephants.
The three-metre-tall elephant, made of fiberglass, was unveiled on Monday by B S Reddy, Chief General Manager of the Ordnance Clothing Factory. The event took place amid the traditional sounds of Chenda Melam and Nadaswaram.
Weighing about 500 kg and mounted on a mobile wheelbase, the mechanical elephant can move its head, swish its tail and spray water. It offers devotees a realistic experience while avoiding the safety risks and ethical concerns linked with keeping elephants in captivity.
Sonu Sood, known for his philanthropic work, said that devotion becomes more meaningful when it is guided by kindness and compassion. His son Ayaan, who has received the PETA India Compassionate Youth Award, said the initiative ensures that real elephants can remain in the forests with their families instead of being used for temple rituals.
This is the 21st robotic elephant installed by PETA India in temples across the country and the second such installation in Tamil Nadu. Temple chairman S S Murugan welcomed the initiative and said the temple has formally decided that it will neither own nor hire live animals in the future.
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