Elephant Mahadevi Is Free And Healing At Vantara: Madhuri’s 33-Year Wait, Abuse & Injuries

Last Updated:August 04, 2025, 12:50 IST

Elephant Mahadevi (Madhuri): Vantara’s Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust has designed a plan to address causes of her issues, improve mobility and support recovery

(Left) Elephant Mahadevi (Madhuri) at Vantara; (right) her injuries. (Instagram/News18)

For 33 long years, Elephant Mahadevi (Madhuri) walked the same path in Kolhapur — shackled in chains and controlled using weapons like an ankush (hooked iron rod) — and returned to the same slab of concrete which was her home. She was forcibly made part of processions with tight ropes around her stomach, and brought back to her solitary confinement at Swastishree Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sansthan (Jain Math) at Nandani village in Kolhapur. She kept battling multiple injuries, which were only ignored.

At Anant Ambani’s Vantara’s Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust, she is free for the first time in her life and recuperating from the physical and mental wounds.

Vantara posted her recovery plan on its Instagram handle: “Madhuri’s initial health evaluation, revealing chronic foot issues like overgrown toenails and cuticles, signs of laminitis, a long-standing toenail abscess in the right hind foot, and painful swellings on both knees. Radiographs showed fractures and arthritis in her front feet. The team has now devised a detailed treatment protocol to address the root causes, ease her discomfort, improve mobility, and support her recovery. While we await her lab reports, her nutritionist is already planning a tailored diet. For now, Madhuri needs plenty of rest, comfort, and care. To everyone who’s been concerned about Madhuri: we see you, we hear you. We promise her the highest standard of care, gentle, consistent and rooted in love."

Elephant Mahadevi reached Kolhapur when she was three, was used for begging

Mahadevi was separated from her mother when she was three and brought to the Jain Math in Kolhapur, reportedly from Karnataka. Since then, she was confined, all alone, to a concrete shed, far from the forests where she belonged. She was used for begging in the village.

Explained: From Begging In Chains In Kolhapur To Freedom At Vantara After 33 Years: Elephant Mahadevi’s Journey

The 2017 psychological episode: Mahadevi attacks the priest

In 2017, after years of excruciating loneliness and frustration from her cruel and bleak living conditions, Mahadevi fatally attacked the chief priest of the same Jain Math. Such incidents are not uncommon — elephants held in cruel, unnatural conditions often lash out in frustration and from psychological distress.

Despite this, Mahadevi was used to roll children in her trunk in exchange for money.

Mahadevi forced to travel 13 times in 11 years: Politician requests her relocation to zoo

Following the chief Swamiji’s death, temple trustees and former Member of Parliament Raju Shetti urged the forest department to take custody of Mahadevi and relocate her to a zoo. In 2020, Shetti met PETA India’s representatives, including then director Khushbu Gupta, and supported the rehabilitation of elephant Mahadevi.

Between 2012 to 2023, Mahadevi was transported illegally by the Jain Math at least 13 times across state borders to participate in processions. By this time, the Math had discovered that she could be rented and her suffering was monetised.

Caught in Telangana, Mahadevi was brought to Maharashtra

In 2022-2023, she was taken to Telangana for participation in the Muharram procession.

On July 30, 2023, Mahadevi was seized by the Telangana Forest Department for violation of Section 48A of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 for illegal transportation of an elephant from Maharashtra to Telangana. Mahadevi’s custody was handed over to the Maharashtra Forest Department. Ever since, Mahadevi has not been under temple’s ownership as she became ‘seized government property’.

Mahadevi’s health deteriorates, SC orders rehabilitation

On June 20, 2024, Maharashtra’s Chief Wildlife Warden wrote to the High-Powered Committee of the Supreme Court recommending elephant Mahadevi be rehabilitated. Her health kept deteriorating with grade 4 arthritis, foot rot, overgrown nails and worn-out footpads from spending a lifetime in chains on concrete.

On July 28, 2025, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by the Jain Math challenging the Bombay High Court’s July 16 order to transfer custody of Mahadevi. Despite her severe arthritis and other health issues caused by decades of cruelty, the Math sought to retain her.

The Supreme Court ruled in favour of Mahadevi’s welfare and directed authorities to ensure her transport to sanctuary is carried out with her comfort as the top priority.

The protests over Mahadevi’s relocation

Despite the Supreme Court order, hooligans pelted hundreds of stones at PETA India and the sanctuary staff during Mahadevi’s rescue from the Jain Math. A PETA India staff member suffered a severe rib injury after being directly hit with a stone. Sadabhau Khot, a farmer’s leader, attacked Shetti for politicising the issue, saying Kolhapur’s sentiments are attached to the elephant.

CM Devendra Fadnavis said, “This is not a decision of the state government regarding Madhuri the elephant; it was a decision made by the Mumbai High Court. After the High Court’s decision was challenged in the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court also upheld it…In this matter, as the government, we have only provided a report through the forest department."

Responding to the protests, Vantara in a post said: “We feel the depth of love that surrounds her. 🙏 At Vantara, she is held with gentle care, expert medical attention, and deep respect, in accordance with the direction of the Hon’ble Court."

Mahadevi reaches Vantara, to live free and get treatment

On July 30, 2025, after 33 years living alone and parading for processions, elephant Mahadevi reached her new home—Vantara’s Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTEWT) in Jamnagar. There, Mahadevi will live free from chains and weapons, and in the company of other elephants. She will also receive specialised veterinary care by world-class veterinarians, including hydrotherapy, to address her arthritic condition.

PETA India and Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organizations (FIAPO) have each offered a mechanical elephant to the Jain Math, for use in the temple rituals and encourage all temples to choose humane mechanical elephants in place of living elephants for animal welfare and human wellbeing.

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The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...

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First Published:

August 04, 2025, 12:46 IST

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