Maharashtra: Campaign to bring back female elephant Mahadevi gains momentum

Mumbai: Days after people of Kolhapur bade a tearful adieu to Mahadevi, a campaign is gaining momentum to bring the 36-year-old female elephant back to the historic town from Gujarat. 

The elephant belonged to the SwastiShri Jensen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sanstha, a religious body at Nandani village in Karvir tehsil of Kolhapur district. 

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.

While relocation there was a law and order situation also. 

The elephant was living at the Swastishree Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sansthan Mutt since 1992 - and was loved and worshipped by the locals.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) raised concerns over the elephant's care. Following the concerns, the decision to relocate the elephant was made.

The relocation took place after the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by the mutt, challenging the Bombay High Court order upholding the decision of a high powered committee to relocate the animal to the Gujarat facility.

Senior politician and Congress MLC Satej Patil said that people of Kolhapur want the elephant back.

“As many as 1,25,353 signatures have been collected in 24 hours which will continue till 2000 hrs,” Patil said adding that on 1000 hrs on Saturday, these forms would be worshipped in Nandani Mutt. 

"On Saturday, August 2, at 1300 hrs , all these forms will be sent to the President's office via speed post from the Ramanmala Post Office in Kolhapur,” Patil said. 

PETA said Mahadevi had lived in chains for 33 years, suffered from arthritis and a painful foot condition, had killed the chief Swamiji out of frustration, and yet was rented for Muharram and other events, by the Jain Math where she was kept.

"While the violent attack on PETA India and Vantara’s Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTEWT) staff, and the police, resulted in serious injuries, a victim says it is nothing compared to what Mahadevi suffered,” it said.

Meanwhile Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIPAO) has offered the Kolhapur Jain Bhattarak Math a mechanical elephant to replace the disturbed elephant Mahadevi.

The Bombay High Court has directed that Mahadevi, who killed the Chief Swamiji, be rehabilitated at a sanctuary.