Join voices in calling upon Indian officials to ban the use of elephants in Temples, Festivals and all other forms of "entertainment", and prosecute those guilty of neglect and abuse to the fullest extent under the law.
Significance of elephants in India
Elephants have a cultural and religious significance to the country of India. 80% of India's population is Hindu, a religion where Lord Ganesha (depicted as half human, half elephant) is worshiped as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the diva of intellect and wisdom. As the God of beginnings, he is "honored" at the start of rites and ceremonies.
Gods commercialized
Temple owners and brokers have chosen to commercialize and capitalize off the religious deity by featuring elephants at all religious and cultural festivals and in temples. And despite their significant status, the treatment of these captive elephants is unparalleled in terms of it's cruelty, brutality and rate of mortality.
Conspiracy and corruption from the top down
Exploiting elephants under the veneer of cultural and religion is big business in India, everyone from the Chief Minister has a stake. According to the activist group 'Kerala's Suffering Elephants' "the 3,000 temples that rent out elephants to festival organizers are run by four devaswom (socio-religious trusts), appointed by the state government, and each temple earns many millions of rupees from festivals. Any elephant that makes it beyond 60 is purposely neglected and abused – treated as a disposable item – so the owners can make hefty insurance claims."
This abhorrent cruelty and grotesque example of greed must be stopped. Beyond the suffering of individual elephants, the abuse has wider repercussions including the outright extinction of Indian elephants.
Here are the calls to action:
1. Sign this petition directed at the Prime Minister of India and the Chief Minister and Chief of Forests for each of India's states demanding they enforce India's strict laws against animal cruelty and prosecute those responsible for committing such abuse.
2. Join the Tweetstorm to #SaveIndiasElephants. Tweetsheet: http://angelsforelephants.org/take-action/tweetsheet-save-indias-elephants/ (more tweets will be added)
3. Hit 'em where it hurts, BOYCOTT TOURISM TO INDIA and shun all forms of elephant tourism that use elephants in any unnatural way, whether in festivals or for trekking or rides or any other purpose!! India's multi-million-pound tourism industry is based largely on it's reputation so spread the word!
The plight of Temple elephants was highlighted in the documentary Gods in Shackles. To learn more visit http://godsinshackles.com
