Sonakshi Sinha and PETA India donate mechanical Elephant to Kerala temple; watch here

Sonakshi Sinha and PETA India gifts mechanical elephant to Kerala temple

• Sonakshi Sinha and PETA India donated a mechanical elephant to a Kerala temple
• Temple replaces live elephants with mechanical ones for cruelty-free ceremonies
• PETA India donates 19th mechanical elephant to promote humane religious practices.

Did our AI summary help?

In a move that blends tradition with compassion, actor Sonakshi Sinha, alongside People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, has donated a life-size mechanical elephant named Pallipuram Unikrishnan to the Pallipuram Sreekrishna Temple in Kerala’s Thrissur district.

The mechanical elephant was unveiled on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by temple authorities, local representatives, and enthusiastic devotees, marking a new chapter for the temple’s rituals.

The donation comes in recognition of the temple’s decision to step away from using live elephants in its ceremonies and festivals.

Until 2024, live elephants were an integral part of the temple’s annual Pooram celebrations.

#WATCH | Sonakshi Sinha And PETA India Gift Mechanical Elephant To Thrissur Temple #IndiaNews#animalrights#animalwelfare@dhairyagajarapic.twitter.com/qGGUWH2tkp

— Free Press Journal (@fpjindia) January 28, 2026

However, in a bid to prioritise both the welfare of the animals and the safety of devotees, the temple has now embraced a mechanical elephant. Pallipuram Unikrishnan will take centre stage in ceremonies, allowing traditions to continue in a cruelty-free and responsible way.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by OfficialPETAIndia (@petaindia)

This marks PETA India’s 19th mechanical elephant contribution across the country and the tenth in Kerala. The unveiling ceremony beautifully combined innovation with cultural tradition, featuring customary rituals and a lively Panchari melam performance, making the event both meaningful and celebratory.

Speaking at the event, Sonakshi Sinha highlighted the spirit behind the initiative, saying it demonstrates how “tradition and technology can coexist compassionately.”

Temple Thantri Sri Annimangalam Narayanan Namboodiri added that devotees have welcomed the shift warmly, praising it as a safer and more thoughtful way to honour age-old customs.

Also Read: Sonakshi Sinha, Zaheer Iqbal welcome 2026 with glittery Maldives New Year bash

PETA India emphasised that elephsants in captivity often endure severe physical and emotional stress. Mechanical elephants like Pallipuram Unikrishnan provide a humane alternative, letting temples maintain their religious practices without causing harm to the animals.

Across India, more temples are now following this example, proving that cultural rituals and animal welfare can go hand in hand.