Elephant That Had Suffered for 50 Years in Hindu Temple Gets Rescued
A 63-year-old elephant was rescued from decades of captivity and torture at a Hindu temple in India. For the past 52 years, Gajraj has been kept chained at the Yami Devi Temple in Aundh. He is one of the estimated 5,000 elephants held captive in India, with 600 inside temples in Kerala alone.
The elephant's plight came to public consciousness by a video made sent to media by concerned people. Gajraj, which means "king of elephants," was found shackled with chains at one spot of the temple. His handlers left him to die after using him for decades to beg for money from visitors.
Animal rights activists found him injured and partially blind with foot abscesses on his hind and elbows caused by continuous chaining. He was frail and unable to walk from lack of food, hydration, movement and veterinary care. His ivory tusks were hacked off to protect the mahouts who abused him daily.
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Gajraj was captured as a calf from the wild in Ujjain Madhya Pradesh and beaten into submission when he was 12 back in 1965. He was brought 800 kilometers away to Aundh, Satara District, Kerala province, state of Maharashtra where he served as the temple's main attraction.
Petitions convinced the Queen of Aundh to release Gajraj to the custody of Wildlife SOS and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Last Saturday, a team of 12 members consisting of handlers, veterinarians, drivers and mechanics arrived to take the animal with them.
But it wasn't easy as villagers tried to stop them. A few locals gathered at first to bid him farewell, but the number of people became a crowd of about 500. The encounter became unruly as the crowd blocked the path to prevent the elephant from getting out and attacked the team with rocks that it had to take police assistance to get the animal at the back of the truck.
Gajraj was taken to Wildlife SOS's Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in Mathura, which is almost 1,500 kilometers away. His chains were removed, and his wounds were dressed. He will receive round-the-clock geriatric care for the rest of his life, which will need money. Those who want to do their share can donate to wildlifesos.org.
