Chikkamagaluru (Karnataka) Dec 15 (PTI) Actress Shilpa Shetty on Sunday donated a life-size mechanical elephant to Shri Jagadguru Renukacharya Temple here to celebrate the centenary birth ceremony of Shrimad Rambhapuri Veerarudramuni Jagadguru.

Launching the mechanical elephant called Veerabhadra, Karnataka Minister Eshwar B Khandre said that technology has made it possible for temples to have elephants without having to keep them in shackles.

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Shri Jagadguru Renukacharya Temple at the Rambhapuri Peetha has decided never to own or hire live elephants.

Lauding the temple's decision, Khandre, who holds the portfolios of Forest, Ecology and Environment said, "Many other temples and maths have requested me to donate an elephant. But as per the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, we cannot donate elephants to any other temple. Under these circumstances, new technologies have come, like the robotic elephant."

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The elephant donation to the temple was facilitated by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India and Bengaluru-based animal welfare NGO, Compassionate Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA).

According to PETA India, the three-meter-tall mechanical elephant weighs 800 kg and is made of rubber, fibre, metal, mesh, foam, and steel, and runs on five motors.

The forest minister thanked PETA, CUPA and the actress on behalf of the forest department and Karnataka government.

"It's the need of the hour, and they (elephants) have a right to live on this Earth."

Karnataka Energy Minister K J George and Member of the Legislative Assembly of Sringeri, T D Rajegowda were present.

Shri Jagadguru Renukacharya Temple is the first shrine in Chikkamagaluru district to have this technology.

Veerabhadra will be used to conduct cruelty-free ceremonies at the temple, helping real elephants stay with their herd in the jungle.

Appreciating the efforts of PETA India and CUPA in donating mechanical elephants to temples, chief swami of the Peetha, Rambhapuri Jagadguru, said, "We encourage more temples and maths to join us by welcoming a mechanical elephant."

According to PETA, most elephants held captive in temples and other places suffer from excruciating foot problems and leg wounds due to chaining to concrete for hours on end and many become frustrated and lash out, sometimes killing mahouts or other humans or animals.

Quoting figures from the Heritage Animal Task Force's report, PETA said captive elephants killed 526 people in Kerala in a 15-year period.

PETA India had also facilitated the donation of a mechanical elephant to Irinjadappilly Sri Krishna Temple in Thrissur, Kerala, with the help of actor Parvathy Thiruvothu.

According to PETA India, now, at least 10 mechanical elephants are used in temples across south India, of which it has donated six.

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