Religious Charity Transfers Five Elephants from Assam to Tamil Nadu Temples

A religious charity named Seva Trust has gifted five young elephants from Assam to temples across Tamil Nadu. The animals, described as ranging from five to 13 years of age, were sent to temples in Madurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvannamalai, and Kanchipuram. Among the transfers is a five-year-old female named Durga, presented to Madurai’s Meenakshi Ammal temple in September 2026.

The remaining four animals—identified as Rupsing, Hiralal, Shiva, and Bijuli—were donated to the Arulmigu Anmachaleswarar Temple in Tiruvannamalai, the Vaitheeswaran Koil in Nagapattinam, and Kanchi Kamakoti in Kanchipuram. According to reports from ABP Tamil, the arrival of the elephant at the Vaitheeswaran Temple marked the first time the facility received one in 23 years, generating enthusiasm among local residents and devotees.

However, the transfers have drawn condemnation from activists, forest officers, and biologists across North-East India and Tamil Nadu. Critics have raised concerns regarding the travel trauma experienced by the animals, their subsequent use in temple environments, and broader questions surrounding their origins. Observers also point to legal dilutions over the past decade that permit the use of elephants for religious duties.

Seva Trust is operated by Anuradha Subramanian, whose husband, Vaidyanathan Krishnamoorthy, is a director at Katas Properties, a Chennai-based firm sharing an address with the trust. Sources cited by The News Minute stated that Krishnamoorthy has professional and personal connections within political and legal circles, including previous appointments to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam board.

According to Newslaundry and The News Minute reporting, the elephant transfers coincided with ongoing proceedings in the Gauhati High Court concerning the welfare of nine other elephants from Assam allegedly mistreated in Tamil Nadu temples. When contacted by The News Minute regarding these connections, Krishnamoorthy declined to comment.