Actors gift Mysuru temple a life-size mechanical elephant

I n a bid to prevent all of the cruelty that an elephant is put through, especially during festivals, and also to show kindness to the majestic beast, actors Diganth Manchale and Aindrita Ray donated a life-sized mechanical elephant to the Jagadguru Sri Veerasimhasana Mahasamsthana Math (Sri Suttur Math) near Mysuru. “His name is Shiva, and he is 3 metres tall and weighs 800 kilograms. He will now be used to conduct rituals and ceremonies at the temple, as they have vowed to never hire a reallife elephant ever again,” says Aindrita. “We spend so much money to go see elephants in their natural habitat, while we are also responsible for tearing them away from their homes and families. This is just one step towards keeping them safe,” she says.