Elephant relocated to Gujarat facility run by Vantara from Kolhapur; devotees bid emotional adieu

People gave an emotional farewell to a 36-year-old feminine elephant, Mahadevi, at a mutt in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur because the tusker moved to a brand new residence, a Jamnagar-based animal welfare facility.

The elephant was transferred to representatives of the Radhe Krishna Elephant Welfare Trust run by Vantara, an animal welfare centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, from the Kolhapur mutt on Monday.

The relocation befell after the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by the mutt, difficult the Bombay High Court order upholding the choice of a High Powered Committee (HPC) to relocate the animal to the Gujarat facility.

The pachyderm was given an emotional farewell by devotees of Swasthishri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sanstha, a non secular physique, in addition to residents of Nandani village beneath Karvir tehsil of Kolhapur late Monday night.

On July 16, the HC upheld the HPC’s choice to relocate the jumbo to the Gujarat-based facility, citing an elephant’s proper to high quality life should take priority over people’ proper to make use of it for spiritual functions.

A Bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale famous of their order that the psychological and bodily well being of the elephant — Mahadevi alias Madhuri — suffered when it was with a Kolhapur-based belief.

The court docket dismissed a petition filed by the mutt towards December 2024 and June 2025 orders handed by the HPC to switch the elephant to the Radhe Krishna Elephant Welfare Trust.

According to officers, the elephant will attain the Gujarat facility on Wednesday in an animal ambulance.

A lot of villagers got here to bid farewell to the elephant with whom they developed a bond during the last a number of years.

The authentic switch was ordered following a grievance lodged by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India in regards to the animal’s situation.

The Kolhapur-based belief contended it owned the elephant since 1992, and its presence at spiritual programmes was part of a practice.

But the High Court cited a June 2024 report in regards to the elephant’s well being, eating regimen and diet, social surroundings, hygiene and cleanliness of shelter, veterinary care and work schedule, and stated they “appear to be absolutely dismal”.

As per the report, the elephant suffered from “decubital ulcerated wounds” on its hip joints and some different physique components.