📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Bollywood Hungama
Local
Elephant Madhuri Returns to Kolhapur After 13-Month Stay at Vantara
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 13 Sep 2026, 04:05 PM
👁 5
Madhuri, the celebrated elephant, was welcomed in Kolhapur after spending a year at Vantara. The return was marked by a grand ceremony attended by local officials and devotees.
Madhuri, a well‑known elephant that had been housed at Vantara for the past thirteen months, made her return to Kolhapur on Tuesday. The animal was escorted to the city in a convoy that drew crowds from nearby villages.
A small ceremony was held at the city’s main square, where the mayor and several district officials greeted the elephant. Traditional garlands were offered, and a local priest performed a blessing for the animal’s health and safety.
Residents who had followed Madhuri’s journey online expressed relief that the elephant had finally come back home. Social media posts shared photos of the crowd lining the streets and the elephant’s calm demeanor.
Conservationists say that Madhuri’s stay at Vantara was part of a rehabilitation program aimed at ensuring the animal’s well‑being before her return to a more natural environment in Kolhapur. The event underscores the city’s ongoing efforts to support wildlife welfare.
A small ceremony was held at the city’s main square, where the mayor and several district officials greeted the elephant. Traditional garlands were offered, and a local priest performed a blessing for the animal’s health and safety.
Residents who had followed Madhuri’s journey online expressed relief that the elephant had finally come back home. Social media posts shared photos of the crowd lining the streets and the elephant’s calm demeanor.
Conservationists say that Madhuri’s stay at Vantara was part of a rehabilitation program aimed at ensuring the animal’s well‑being before her return to a more natural environment in Kolhapur. The event underscores the city’s ongoing efforts to support wildlife welfare.