This Kerala temple has a 'robot' elephant for rituals. Watch how it works

The "robot elephant" has been named Irinjadappilly Raman. (Image: petaindia.com)

Kerala’s Irinjadappilly Sree Krishna Temple has pledged to never keep or hire elephants or any other animals for rituals or festivities prompting PETA India to gift them a lifelike, “robotic” elephant dubbed - Irinjadappilly Raman.

The mechanical “animal” will now help conduct ceremonies and rituals at the temple allowing real elephants to remain with their families and not face any displacement or any form of cruelty.

“JUMBO NEWS! Kerala’s Irinjadappilly Sree Krishna Temple will use a lifelike mechanical elephant to perform rituals, allowing real elephants to remain with their families in nature,” PETA India tweeted adding that actor Parvathy Thiruvothu had extended her support for the initiative.

JUMBO NEWS!
Kerala’s Irinjadappilly Sree Krishna Temple will use a lifelike mechanical elephant to perform rituals, allowing real elephants to remain with their families in nature.
The initiative is supported by @parvatweets.#ElephantRobotRaman https://t.co/jwn8m2nJeU pic.twitter.com/jVaaXU7EHg

— PETA India (@PetaIndia) February 26, 2023

Irinjadappilly Raman was also inducted in the temple through the “Nadayiruthal” ceremony – where elephants are offered to gods and was attended by many prominent figures. PETA shared a video of the mechanism of the robot elephant in a YouTube video as well where it also showed the kind of cruelty elephants face generally in captivity.

Watch:

PETA India explained why it’s best to replace animals with robots and encouraged that people quit anything instrumental in animal cruelty.

“Most elephants in captivity in the country, including in Kerala, are being held illegally or have been transported to a different state without permission. Because elephants are wild animals who would not willingly obey human commands, when used for rides, ceremonies, tricks, and other purposes, they are trained and controlled through severe punishments, beatings, and the use of weapons with a metal-tipped hook. Many have extremely painful foot ailments and leg wounds from being chained to concrete for hours on end, and most do not get adequate food, water, or veterinary care, let alone any semblance of a natural life,” PETA wrote.

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People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), just a day ago, shared that they had gifted popstar Rihanna a faux fur coat after she was spotted wearing a seemingly real one and urged her to switch to cruelty-free products.