Adivi Sesh gifts mechanical elephant to ISKCON temple in Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam, Oct 27: Actor Adivi Sesh has gifted a life-sized mechanical elephant named ‘Ranga’ to the Sri Sri Radha Damodar Temple at ISKCON Visakhapatnam, in collaboration with PETA India, to promote animal-friendly alternatives to the use of live elephants in religious ceremonies and festivals.

The initiative aims to encourage temples and religious institutions to adopt compassionate alternatives while preserving traditional rituals and celebrations.

Speaking on the occasion, Sesh said religious traditions should reflect not only devotion but also love and sensitivity towards all living beings. He emphasised that elephants should be allowed to live freely in the wild with their families rather than being chained, trained and used in religious processions.

The 40-year-old actor expressed hope that the initiative would inspire temples and communities across the country to embrace kindness and compassion while respecting their traditions.

The mechanical elephant, Ranga, offers an alternative to using live elephants in religious ceremonies. It enables temples to maintain the grandeur and spiritual significance of traditional celebrations without subjecting animals to captivity, chains and forced performances.

Sesh also extended his best wishes to the devotees of ISKCON Visakhapatnam, expressing hope that Ranga would bring happiness, joy and devotion into their lives in the years to come.