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New Delhi: The transfer of a beloved elephant named Mahadevi, held for decades at a Jain monastery in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, to Vantara has sparked protests ever since its news came out. It is especially so as Mahadevi in the region from where it came was associated with religious pride and devotion.
Also called Madhuri, the elephant was brought to the Shri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Jain math when it was just three years old. The math has had a long standing tradition of using elephants in ceremonial roles. For more than 30 years, Mahadevi participated in religious festivals, including the Panch Kalyan Mahotsav. Temple donors were often known to parade on her back through villages.
Veterinary reports had recently revealed medical conditions of Mahadevi and said that the elephant was suffering from issues such as foot rot, cracked nails, arthritis, and signs of chronic trauma. In 2017, Mahadevi fatally attacked the math’s head priest, and this led temple authorities to give the animal over to authorities. She was still reportedly not taken well care of.
In response to multiple complaints by PETA India, and backed by extensive documentation, the Supreme Court-mandated High-Powered Committee ordered Mahadevi’s transfer to the Vantara elephant rescue centre in Gujarat in December 2024. The temple authorities challenged the order in the Bombay High Court and later in the Supreme Court, both of which upheld the transfer citing ongoing animal welfare concerns. The HPC noted that despite multiple warnings and inspections, the math had made only superficial improvements to Mahadevi’s care.
The elephant’s relocation sparked an outpouring of emotion across Kolhapur. Thousands gathered to see her off to Gujarat and a coalition of religious and political figures united to form a “Save the Elephant” committee. Some groups accused the government of ignoring religious sentiment and the situation escalated on July 30, when officials attempting to move Mahadevi were attacked by a mob. The elephant though was eventually transferred safely.
At Vantara, Mahadevi now resides in a relatively better condition. Vantara released detailed health updates, emphasizing transparency and a compassionate recovery process. Her case is being celebrated by animal welfare groups as a landmark in ethical rehabilitation. In an effort to de-escalate the cultural backlash, animal rights groups, including PETA and FIAPO, offered the math a mechanical elephant so that religious rituals could continue without harming live animals. While some welcomed the offer as a practical and ethical solution, others dismissed it. The situation has only worsened. The Mahadevi case has thus come to become a cultural and judicial flashpoint in the region, calling into the fray religious organisations, government authorities and animal rights groups.
