In Sri Lanka’s historic city of Kandy, an ancient Buddhist festival known as the Esala Perahera is celebrated each year with vibrant lights, costumes, and crowds. But behind the grandeur lies a story that has left the world heartbroken — the story of Tikiiri, a 70-year-old female elephant who was forced to march for ten nights straight, despite her frail body and failing health.
Her image, once hidden beneath elaborate fabric and gold ornaments, revealed a skeletal frame and tired eyes — a powerful symbol of the silent suffering endured by elephants used in traditional festivals.
🕯 The Pain Behind the Parade
Tikiiri was one of 60 elephants paraded through Kandy’s crowded streets. Dressed in heavy, ornate costumes, she walked for hours each night amid the glare of lights, loud fireworks, and chanting crowds.
To most onlookers, she was part of a sacred ritual — a blessing under the Buddhist banner. But when photographs emerged showing her thin body, visible ribs, and shackled legs, the world saw the truth: this was no celebration for her.
Animal rights advocates quickly sounded the alarm. Lek Chailert, founder of the Save Elephant Foundation, shared Tikiiri’s image on social media, writing:
“She walks many kilometers every night so that people will feel blessed. No one sees her bony body or her weakened condition because of her costume. No one sees her difficulty to step as her legs are short-shackled while she walks.”
💔 A Life of Labor and Silence
At 70 years old, Tikiiri had already outlived most elephants’ average lifespan in captivity. Instead of a peaceful retirement, she was still being made to perform — her body deteriorating under the strain of heat, exhaustion, and malnutrition.
For ten consecutive nights, she walked through the smoke and noise of the festival — a spectacle of faith and tradition that came at the cost of her suffering.
Experts say that elephants like Tikiiri are often trained from a young age through force and fear. Many undergo brutal conditioning to make them obey commands — a process that includes isolation, chaining, and punishment. Once “tamed,” they are used for rides, parades, or temple duties for decades.
These practices are so normalized in parts of Asia that tourists often participate unknowingly. But animal welfare groups insist: behind every elephant ride or show lies a story of cruelty and loss.
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⚖️ Calls for Change: “This Must Stop”
Following the viral photos, animal welfare organizations including PETA and the Save Elephant Foundation urged visitors to boycott festivals and tourist attractions that exploit elephants.
Elisa Allen, UK Director of PETA, spoke out:
“Elephants don’t naturally obey human commands or allow humans to ride them. They do so because mahouts carry bullhooks — sharp iron rods used to dig into their flesh. These animals obey because they’ve learned to fear pain.”
She continued:
“Tourists can help by refusing to ride elephants, avoiding attractions that keep them chained, or forcing them to perform. Real compassion means walking away from cruelty.”
The Sacred Tooth Relic Temple, which organizes the festival, claimed that Tikiiri had been examined by veterinarians — but many questioned whether that treatment came too late.
🧘♀️ Culture vs. Compassion: Can They Coexist?
The Esala Perahera has been part of Sri Lankan tradition for centuries, meant to honor sacred Buddhist relics and celebrate spiritual devotion. But as modern awareness grows, a difficult question emerges: can cultural heritage coexist with animal welfare?
Supporters of reform say yes — that compassion lies at the very core of Buddhist teachings, and respecting animals aligns with the values of kindness and balance. Others argue that removing elephants would strip the ceremony of its historical identity.
Still, as the world evolves, so too must tradition. Countries like Thailand and India have already begun replacing live elephants with mechanical models or artistic representations — honoring culture without perpetuating cruelty.
🏥 The Path Toward Recovery
Tikiiri’s story may have ended in tragedy, but it ignited a global conversation about the recovery and treatment of captive elephants.
Sanctuaries across Asia, such as Save Elephant Foundation’s Elephant Nature Park, now provide safe havens for animals rescued from tourism and labor industries. There, elephants receive medical care, nutritious food, and the freedom to roam — many for the first time in decades.
Such rehabilitation requires substantial funding — from veterinary treatment costs to land protection. This is why ethical travel programs and conservation organizations encourage people to donate or adopt elephants virtually to help sustain their recovery.
The model isn’t unlike insurance for wildlife — a system that protects vulnerable creatures against the consequences of human exploitation. Every donation becomes a safeguard for the next elephant in need.
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🧾 Accountability and Legal Reform
Animal welfare experts are now calling for stronger legal protection for elephants in Sri Lanka and other countries that use them for entertainment.
Some advocates argue that lawyers and lawmakers must step in to create stricter regulations around the capture, ownership, and treatment of elephants. Without binding legal accountability, they warn, the abuse will continue under the guise of tradition.
Proposed reforms include:
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Banning the use of wild-caught elephants in festivals and tourism.
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Enforcing rest periods and medical checkups for captive animals.
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Promoting wildlife sanctuaries over entertainment attractions.
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Educating tourists about ethical alternatives.
While change won’t happen overnight, every conversation — every photo like Tikiiri’s — brings the world one step closer to compassion-driven reform.
🌏 A Lesson in Humanity
Tikiiri’s story isn’t just about one elephant. It’s about us — and the choices we make as travelers, consumers, and caretakers of this planet.
The sight of her frail body hidden under bright fabric is a painful reminder that beauty and suffering often coexist — and that true devotion lies not in spectacle, but in empathy.
If anything good comes from this tragedy, it’s the global awakening it inspired: that no tradition, no matter how sacred, should come at the cost of another creature’s pain.
We can protect elephants — not by chaining them to our celebrations, but by giving them what they deserve: freedom, peace, and dignity.
💬 Final Thought
As one activist put it,
“We cannot call ourselves compassionate if our faith celebrations depend on cruelty.”
Tikiiri walked for ten nights through noise, smoke, and pain — but in doing so, she walked straight into the world’s conscience.
Her story will forever stand as a call to rethink how we honor life — not just human life, but all life.
