Thrissur: Grammy-nominated sitarist Anoushka Shankar and animal rights group PETA India have donated a life-size mechanical elephant to the Kombara Sreekrishna Swami Temple in Thrissur, allowing the temple to conduct ceremonies without using real elephants.

The three-metre-tall elephant, named Kombara Kannan, was gifted in recognition of the temple’s pledge to never keep or hire real elephants. The 800-kilogram mechanical elephant was unveiled at the temple on Wednesday by Satish Vimalan, secretary of the Unnayi Variyar Memorial Kalanilayam, PETA India said in a statement.

Temple president Ravi Namboothiri welcomed the donation, saying, "We are delighted to welcome Kombara Kannan to our temple. We strongly believe that real elephants are ill-treated during festivals. Thanks to PETA for giving us a mechanical elephant."

This marks the fifth mechanical elephant PETA India has gifted to a temple in Kerala and the second in Thrissur district. The organisation recently also offered to provide a mechanical elephant to a mosque in Malappuram for use in religious ceremonies.

PETA India said that by replacing real elephants with mechanical ones, elephants can remain in their natural habitat and be spared from captivity, chains, and mistreatment. The mechanical elephants, constructed from rubber, fibre, metal, mesh, foam, and steel, run on five motors and can mimic real elephant movements.

According to PETA India, the elephant can shake its head, move its ears and eyes, swish its tail, lift its trunk, spray water, and be ridden. It is powered by electricity and mounted on a wheelbase, allowing it to participate in rituals and processions.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)