After 13 months at Vantara Madhuri the elephant gets grand welcome in Kolhapur

After being at the Vantara animal rescue centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat for 13 months, Madhuri, also known as Mahadevi, returned to her home in the Nandani math in Kolhapur. The elephant's journey back home was met with great excitement and emotion, with hundreds of people gathering along the way to welcome her with flowers, celebration and even tears.

Former MP and farmer leader Raju Shetti expressed that the organisers had initially planned a larger procession, including events at the borders of Sangli and Karad, but scaled it back to ensure Madhuri's well-being after her long journey from Gujarat. The community in Kolhapur celebrated the elephant's return, with residents cancelling work to distribute sugar and play lively music.

For the first few days, Madhuri will rest in a renovated shed with a water tank at the Nandani math premises, before potentially moving to a larger, permanent enclosure spread across four acres within a year. Vantara has committed to assisting with any necessary upgrades to the facility. Despite criticism from animal rights group PETA India, Shetti defended the decision, stating that Madhuri has been with the math for 35 years and dismissing earlier reports of abuse as "fabricated."