Madhuri the elephant stays at Nandani Math as Supreme Court dismisses PETA's plea with ₹25,000 costs

Kolhapur: Madhuri, also known as Mahadevi, the elephant belonging to the Swastishri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sansthan Math at Nandani in Shirol taluka, will stay at the Math. The Supreme Court on Friday, October 9, dismissed with costs of ₹25,000 an application by PETA India seeking her transfer to Vantara in Jamnagar, Gujarat, or to an elephant care facility in Karnataka.

Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran, who heard the matter, saw no sound reason to take up the application. It directed that the ₹25,000 be deposited with the Math and used for Madhuri's welfare and treatment. PETA had complained that the elephant was tethered alone and that firecrackers were burst at her welcome; the bench asked what exactly its objection was when villagers were celebrating.

Madhuri came to the Math from Karnataka in 1992, aged three or four. After a Bombay High Court judgment of July 16, 2025, citing her health problems, she was moved to Vantara, which triggered large protests in Kolhapur. She returned to the Math after the Supreme Court-appointed high-powered committee cleared it on September 9, 2026.

Following the committee's guidelines, the Math has given her soft earthen flooring instead of concrete, a 10,000-litre water tank and a shed designed to feel natural. She is walked 5 to 10 km a day and checked by a vet every fortnight. The head of the Math and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetti welcomed the ruling.

Sources: ETV Bharat; The Times of India