Actor Bhumi Satish Pednekkar along with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India (PETA India) donated a life-size mechanical elephant named Cherukunnu Karthikeyan to Sree Balasubramanya Swamy Temple in Cherukunnu, Thrissur district. The mechanical elephant will be used in temple ceremonies. PETA India gave this gift to honour the temple’s choice to never own or hire real elephants. Cherukunnu Karthikeyan is the eighteenth mechanical elephant donated by PETA India to temples across the country. Ms. Pednekkar said, "I’ve always believed that every living being—each creation of God—deserves freedom, love, and care. The arrival of the mechanical elephant Cherukunnu Karthikeyan at the Subramania Temple beautifully shows how tradition and technology can unite with compassion, allowing real elephants to live freely in their natural homes, just as they were meant to." The temple committee president, Sethumadhavan T.C., said, "We are grateful to receive Cherukunnu Karthikeyan, the mechanical elephant, as a sacred addition to our temple. This meaningful gift will enable us to honour our rituals while ensuring compassion for animals. By welcoming this innovation, we will be able to conduct our rituals in a manner that is safe for devotees and animals." The mechanical elephant stands 3 metres tall and weighs 500 kilograms. It is made from rubber, fibre, metal, mesh, foam, and steel, and operates on five motors.