Suniel Shetty gifts life-size mechanical elephant to Karnataka temple

Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, in collaboration with PETA India and CUPA, has gifted a life-size mechanical elephant to Shri Umamaheshwara Veerabhadreshwara Temple in Karnataka. This aims to promote cruelty-free rituals while offering a solution to the use of real elephants in religious ceremonies, setting an example of compassion and environmental consciousness.

Suniel Shetty, who is thrilled to be associated with PETA India and CUPA, said in the a statement, "Wild elephants are seed dispersers and help regulate climate change through their effect on trees. For the sake of elephant welfare and the earth, I am thrilled to work with PETA India and CUPA on this vital project that protects God's creations while allowing us to engage in traditional rituals and ceremonies."

The



official Instagram handle of PETA India shared photos of Umamaheshwara at Shri Umamaheshwara Veerabhadreshwara Temple. The mechanical elephant has been gifted to the Karnataka tempy by Suniel Shetty, PETA India and CUPA India.

In their social media post, PETA India called Umamaheshwara a mechanical marvel. “Lifelike and life-sized, Umamaheshwara is a mechanical marvel that enables real elephants to live freely in their jungle homes and helps conduct safe and animal-friendly ceremonies at the temple."

The mechanical elephant also aligns with environmental concerns, as wild elephants play a critical role in maintaining ecosystems. They are known to disperse seeds, helping forests regenerate and regulate climate patterns. This marks a new era of cruelty-free temple traditions.