Thrissur (Kerala) | Cricketer KL Rahul and animal rights group PETA India on Sunday donated a life-size mechanical elephant to a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in central Kerala.

The symbolic elephant, named Padmanabhapuram Padmanabhan, was dedicated to Sree Padmanabhapuram Mahavishnu Kheeram, an ancient temple near Guruvayur, PETA India said in a statement.

On the occasion of Sree Krishna Jayanti, Sai Sanjeevani Trust President Swami Hari Narayanan unveiled the mechanical elephant, which will be used to conduct temple ceremonies in a safe and cruelty-free manner. The initiative was facilitated by PETA India in recognition of the temple’s decision to never own or hire live elephants.

Padmanabhapuram Padmanabhan is the thirteenth mechanical elephant donated to temples by PETA India and the eighth in Kerala, the statement said.

“By embracing mechanical elephants in temples, we honour both our spiritual duties and the elephants. These engineering marvels allow us to truly worship the earthly representatives of Lord Ganesha by letting them live in peace in their natural habitats,” Rahul said.

“Mechanical elephants show that devotion, innovation, and compassion can coexist,” he added.

M N Narayanan Namboothiri, president of the temple committee, welcomed the donation and urged other temples to adopt the technology.

“Given the recent tragic incidents involving captive elephant attacks during festivals in Kerala, we request other temples to consider mechanical elephants for the safety of devotees and the animals,” he said.

According to figures compiled by the Heritage Animal Task Force, captive elephants killed 526 people in Kerala over 15 years, PETA noted.

Since early 2023, PETA India has promoted the use of mechanical elephants in temples, and at least 20 are now deployed across South India. The mechanical elephants are three meters tall, weigh 800 kilograms, and are constructed with rubber, fibre, metal, mesh, foam, and steel, powered by five motors, the statement added.