Indian cricketer KL Rahul and PETA donate a mechanical elephant to Guruvayur Temple

Indian cricketer KL Rahul and PETA India have donated a life-size mechanical elephant, Padmanabhapuram Padmanabhan, to Sree Padmanabhapuram Mahavishnu Kheeram temple near Guruvayur.

Unveiled on Sree Krishna Jayanti, the mechanical elephant will now be used for temple rituals, allowing real elephants to stay free in the wild. “Mechanical elephants show that devotion, innovation, and compassion can coexist,” says Rahul. This is PETA India’s 13th donation and the first mechanical elephant in the Guruvayur region.

The temple committee hopes this move inspires other temples to switch to cruelty-free celebrations and keep both devotees and elephants safe.