Elephant returns home to Kolhapur after legal battle
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Madhuri, an elephant also called Mahadevi, returned to the Nandani Jain math in Kolhapur, India, after spending 13 months at the Vantara animal rescue centre in Gujarat.
The elephant’s move to Vantara followed a decision by a High-Powered Committee and was upheld by both the Bombay and Supreme Courts after protests and legal challenges. After inspecting the facilities at Vantara, the High-Powered Committee approved Madhuri’s return to Kolhapur in September 2026.
Former MP Raju Shetti explained that organisers cancelled large celebratory plans to avoid tiring the elephant during her journey. Despite this, hundreds of people welcomed Madhuri with flowers and celebrations as she arrived, and residents of Kolhapur and neighbouring areas marked the occasion by distributing sugar and lighting decorations. Jinsen Bhattarak Mahaswami, chief of the Nandani Jain math, said the last 13 months had been difficult without Madhuri’s presence.
A team from the math travelled to Vantara to learn about Madhuri’s care routine, including her diet and medication, and they expect she will need time to readjust to her old surroundings and reconnect with her mahout. While Vantara has assisted in preparing an enclosure for Madhuri, larger improvements are pending town planning approval. The animal rights group PETA India criticised the decision to return Madhuri to the math, arguing she would receive better care at Vantara.
Raju Shetti dismissed these claims, asserting that the community has a strong history of caring for animals.
