Kasaragod: 'Gurupuram Arjunan', a life-size 800-kg mechanical elephant, has now become part of the Gurupuram Mahavishnu Temple in Kanhangad. Bollywood actor Richa Chadha and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India donated the elephant to the temple on Tuesday.

Chadha and temple tantri Irival Krishnadas Vazhunavar formally handed over the model to the temple in the presence of hundreds of devotees, amid traditional percussion performances.

The mechanical elephant was built at a cost of around ₹5 lakh and is the first such elephant to be donated to a temple in Kasaragod district.

The elephant has an iron framework covered with rubber and is operated using five motors. Its head, eyes, mouth, ears and tail can be moved using the motors, while the trunk can be controlled separately by a mahout. Water can also be sprayed from the trunk when activated.

The model can accommodate up to four people on its back and can be used in temple rituals and processions in place of a live elephant.

The decision to bring a mechanical elephant to Gurupuram came after the temple's tantri saw a similar model during a visit to a temple in Karnataka, according to temple executive committee member Jayaram Chandran.

The initiative is being supported by Chadha and PETA India as part of efforts to encourage the use of mechanical elephants instead of captive elephants in temple rituals and festivals.

Kerala has witnessed a growing move towards mechanical elephant replicas at temples, particularly amid concerns over the welfare and safety of captive elephants used in crowded and noisy festival settings. The replicas allow temples to retain the visual and ceremonial elements associated with elephants while eliminating the need to bring live animals to such events.

The handover ceremony was presided over by temple president Kunjiraman Ayyankavu. Tantri Irival Krishnadas Vazhunavar, guardian Madhavan Nair, head priest Raghuram Bhat and PETA India representatives Sachin Bangar, Souparna and Vinod Arumkodal, among others, attended the event.

State Farmer Award winner K Savithri Meengoth was also honoured at the function.