A new investigation in Kerala has exposed the grim reality of 57 temple-owned elephants face year-round: most are confined to concrete sheds no larger than a parking space, their legs permanently shackled with spiked chains that cut deep into the skin. Nandan, a 52-year-old bull, has not taken an unchained step in 20 years; Padmanabhan, 48, walks with a limp after mahouts deliberately broke his hind leg to crush his spirit during the forbidden “pajan” crushing ritual.
Veterinary records obtained by wildlife groups show chronic foot rot, infected abscesses, blindness from beatings, and severe arthritis in almost every animal, yet they are paraded for hours under blazing sun during festivals, often collapsing from heatstroke and pain. Worth up to £80,000 each on the black market, these “prestige assets” generate huge donations for temples while living in constant agony.
Animal welfare teams are now demanding an immediate ban on private elephant ownership in Kerala, warning that without urgent intervention dozens more will die prematurely from stress and untreated injuries. Activists say the glittering caparisons and roaring crowds hide a centuries-old cruelty that can no longer be justified in the name of tradition.
