Viral video of Chanchal elephant painted pink raises welfare questions
A video of Chanchal, a 70-year-old elephant painted pink for a photo shoot near Jaipur's Amber Fort, went viral and raised serious questions about animal welfare.
The clip, posted by Russian photographer Julia Buruleva in December 2025, shows a model riding Chanchal and quickly drew criticism online.
Chanchal's caretaker Sadiq Khan said he was offered ₹2,500 for the shoot and used only organic paint.
Chanchal death sparks inquiry and criticism
After Chanchal died in February 2026, the forest department launched an inquiry into her death, even though Khan insists she passed away from heart issues unrelated to the photo shoot.
Animal rights group PETA has called out the treatment of elephants at Amber Fort and Rupali Ganguly urged Prime Minister Modi to consider alternatives to elephant rides.
Chanchal had retired from ferrying tourists up the 4-km path to Amber Fort five years ago but remained part of Jaipur's cultural scene, highlighting ongoing debates about using animals in tourism.