Actor Adivi Sesh has joined hands with PETA India in promoting a compassionate approach to religious traditions and celebrations through the gifting of Ranga, an awe-inspiring, life-size mechanical elephant, to the Sri Sri Radha Damodar Temple of ISKCON, Visakhapatnam. The initiative highlights the importance of preserving India’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage while ensuring kindness and respect for animals.
Emphasising the need to embrace compassion alongside devotion, Adivi Sesh expressed his heartfelt thoughts on the initiative, says, “I’m truly excited to join PETA India in gifting an awe-inspiring life-size mechanical elephant, Ranga, to the Sri Sri Radha Damodar Temple of Iskcon, Vishakhapatnam. I truly believe that it’s important for our traditions and customs to not just reflect our devotion, but also our affection and empathy for all the beings that share the world with us. All elephants belong in the forest, amongst the trees, with their families. To see them chained, trained, abused, made to perform in processions, truly hurts the heart. I hope our initiative inspires many communities and many temples across India to honour our traditions while embracing compassionate choices.”
Through this thoughtful initiative, Adivi Sesh and PETA India seek to encourage temples and communities to celebrate their faith without subjecting live elephants to the hardships associated with captivity, chaining, training and participation in religious processions. Mechanical elephants offer a compassionate alternative, allowing devotees to uphold the grandeur and significance of their traditions without compromising animal welfare. Ranga represents more than a technological marvel, it stands as a symbol of empathy, awareness and the evolving relationship between faith and compassion. The initiative sends a powerful message that devotion and kindness can go hand in hand, inspiring communities to make choices that respect the lives and natural needs of animals. Extending his warm wishes to the devotees, Adivi Sesh added, “My heartfelt wishes to everyone at ISKCON Visakhapatnam. May Ranga bring you joy, happiness and devotion for many years to come.”
