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Elephants have been a central feature in temple festivals across South India for centuries, including the renowned Mysuru Dasara and events at temples in Kerala, Udupi, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The darker side of this tradition has been exposed by tragedies involving captive elephants, leading to the destruction of property and the deaths of mahouts, caretakers and festival attendees.
A recent video making rounds of social media reignited discussions about the welfare of elephants used in the annual Dasara festivities. The footage, which has been widely shared on social media, depicts a tense encounter between two elephants, Kanjan and Dhananjaya, who appear to be chasing each other outside the palace grounds, causing tourists and passersby to panic.
During the Dasara festival, elephants walk 5.6 kilometres carrying heavy loads, a practice that not only causes physical strain but also leads to psychological distress. The lead jumbos carry a 750-kilogramme golden howdah (a canopy seat), which violates several sections of the captive elephant guidelines. According to experts, many such customary practices can cause physical and psychological harm to the animals and exacerbate human-elephant conflicts.
According to Forest Department officials from Karnataka and Kerala, more than 350 people have died in elephant-related incidents during festivals in South India over the last 14 years. This was observed during a joint meeting of Karnataka and Kerala ministers in January 2024.
Despite the dangers, owning an elephant has become a status symbol for temples. In Karnataka, the state’s Elephant Task Force has introduced guidelines for responsible elephant management, setting an example for other states in managing human-elephant conflicts and regulating the use of elephants in religious and entertainment contexts.
The Karnataka government recently introduced a mechanical elephant for rituals at the Sri Siddalingeshwara Swamy Temple in Tumkur district, replacing live elephants. The move, supported by animal welfare organisations such as PETA India and Compassion Unlimited Plus Action, aims to protect elephants from the abuse and suffering they endure in captivity.
In past protests, these groups have highlighted the cruelty inflicted on elephants during events like the Mysuru Dasara. Elephants in these processions are often kept in chains, controlled by sharp tools like ankus (hook) and subjected to the stress of loud fireworks, large crowds and heavy loads. These conditions frequently lead to accidents, with elephants lashing out in frustration.
In September 2012, the Karnataka Elephant Task Force (KETF) submitted a report addressing elephant conservation and management. The panel, led by professor Raman Sukumar of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru — an authority on the Asian elephant — made significant recommendations.
The task force proposed three zones: Elephant conservation zones, where conservation is prioritised; elephant-human coexistence zones, where human livelihoods and elephant conservation are balanced and elephant removal zones, where human safety takes precedence.
The most contentious zone has been the elephant-human coexistence zone, where captive elephants are often used for religious or entertainment purposes. These elephants endure significant stress, as their bodies are not suited to walking on flat city roads or carrying howdahs and they are unaccustomed to densely populated human environments.
Elephants in captivity suffer immensely, both physically and mentally. Forced to walk long distances on unsuitable roads or transported in unfamiliar trucks, they are deprived of natural activities such as foraging, dust bathing and socialising with other elephants. The stress often manifests in repetitive behaviours like swaying, a clear sign of psychological trauma, the task force report stated.
The stress and cruelty the jumbos endure at these cultural events endure frequently result in accidents, where elephants run amok, causing panic among festival-goers. Kerala’s celebrity elephant, Thechikottukavu Ramachandran, who has been in captivity for about 40 years and is one of the most popular elephants on the festival circuit, is said to have killed 13 people, including six mahouts, four women and three elephants.
The use of elephants in religious festivals also raises legal and ethical concerns. These practices often violate the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 and the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, which prohibit the mistreatment of animals. But despite legal protections, elephants continue to be exploited, leading to fatalities. A 2015 report by the Heritage Animal Task Force recorded 526 human deaths caused by captive elephants in Kerala over 15 years.
Animal rights groups like PETA India have advocated for the use of mechanical elephants in place of live ones during religious ceremonies. Several temples across India, including those in Karnataka and Kerala, have embraced this change, recognising the ethical issues involved in using live elephants.
Mechanical elephants represent a promising step towards reducing the demand for captive elephants, which contributes to wildlife trafficking and the illegal capture of wild elephants.
