Act Now to Help Elephant Madhuri Remain at Her Sanctuary Home

Following an application to the Supreme Court High Powered Committee by the Nandini Math—Swastishri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sansthan Math (Karvir)—in Kolhapur is seeking permission to rip severely arthritic and mentally disturbed elephant Madhuri (also known as Mahadevi) from Vantara’s Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTEWT) rehabilitation facility in Jamnagar to imprison her back in the same bleak shed where she lived alone for 33 years, PETA India has submitted strong objections to the HPC. During her time chained and forced to live nearly stationary on concrete at the Math, Madhuri developed irreversible ailments including chronic foot disease and arthritis, and she killed the chief priest in frustration.

After being relocated to Vantara, Madhuri has been receiving specialised veterinary care and she has been living in the company of other elephants. Socialisation is essential for female elephants who in nature live in multi-generational family herds. Vantara reports show Madhuri is now deeply bonded to another rescued elephant in Jamnagar, seeks her company and that they participate in activities together, attend joint hydrotherapy sessions and communicate in rumbles and trumpets. PETA India’s objections pray for Madhuri’s continued and permanent residence at Vantara, in accordance with judicial orders.

PETA India and Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organizations (FIAPO) have each offered a mechanical elephant to the Jain Math, for use in the temple rituals and encourage all temples to choose humane mechanical elephants in place of living elephants for animal welfare and human wellbeing. The Thousand Pillars Jain Temple in Karnataka is the first Jain temple in the world to welcome this technology with PETA India’s help.

Read: The Full Mahadevi (Madhuri) Story: From Chains to Rescue

Please join us in urging both the Chief Minister and the Forest Minister of Maharashtra to protect Madhuri by ensuring that she remains at Vantara.

View Message +

Shri

Ganesh Ramchandra

Naik

Cabinet Minister of Forest

Shri

Devendra

Fadnavis

Chief Minister of Maharashtra

Dear Ministers,

Elephant Madhuri—also known as Mahadevi—was rescued nearly a year ago after three decades of suffering. She has severe arthritis, foot rot, multiple fractures, and psychological trauma. At Vantara, she has finally found peace—and a friend.

Now, the Nandini Math, from where she was seized, has applied to return her to the same shed at the Math that drove her to kill the chiest priest in frustration. Permitting it would take her away from veterinary care, remove her from elephant companionship, and return her to the very conditions that caused her suffering, effectively undoing the very intervention that the courts and experts had deemed necessary for her physical and psychological wellbeing.

PETA India and FIAPO have offered a mechanical elephant to the Math for rituals, just as the Jain Thousand Pillars Temple in Karnataka uses. Mechanical elephants have been recommended by the governments of Karnataka and Telangana for use in temples or  processions. Maharashtra too can follow this compassionate and progressive path.

Please protect Madhuri by ensuring that she is kept permanently retired at Vantara. The Math can continue its rituals using a mechanical elephant in alignment with Jainism.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

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