Daijiworld Media Network – Moodbidri

Moodbidri, Aug 30: Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon and her daughter Rasha Thadani have gifted a mechanized elephant, resembling a real elephant, to the historic Thousand Pillars Basadi in Moodbidri, popularly known as Jain Kashi.

The initiative was inspired by PETA India’s Mumbai branch, which has been advocating for the use of mechanical elephants instead of trained live elephants, as the latter are often subjected to cruelty and deprived of their natural forest life.

The new mechanical elephant was unveiled by Acharya 108 Gulab Bhushan Muni Maharaj, who is currently observing Chaturmas at Jain Kashi. This marks the first time a mechanized elephant has been presented to a Jain Basadi in India.

Standing 3 meters tall and weighing 800 kg, the elephant has been constructed using rubber, fibre, metal, mesh, foam, and iron, with the support of five motors. When connected to an electric supply, it functions and moves like a real elephant.