Born to be wild : In memory of Chantal exploited, and abused, Chantal died entertaining tourists

 

Exploited And Abused, Chanchal Died Entertaining Tourists

The striking images have lingered across media platforms: Photographed in Jaipur, it’s a disturbing picture of an elephant named Chanchal painted bright pink, with a model sitting on her back. The elephant spent her entire life being ridden and exploited, and in her final days, suffered the indignity of being painted head-to-toe

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In recent days, a striking image has lingered across media platforms: Shot in Jaipur, it’s a disturbing picture of an elephant named Chanchal painted entirely in pink, with a model sitting on her back. At first glance, it appears whimsical. Almost surreal but look a little closer and you see an animal the size of a giant standing petrified like a prop. Viewers, including animal rights activists, expressed anger and questioned how exploitation of these gentle beings continues in the name of tourism and spectacle.

There are reportedly around 75-100 elephants currently stuck in Jaipur tourism industry [Photo © Wildlife SOS/Mradul Pathak]

Then came another blow: The elephant’s owner said that approximately 70-year-old Chanchal had unfortunately died in February 2026 “due to old age”. This statement itself raised another bunch of red flags. Was this just another mask to cover-up for elephants like Chanchal who were constantly carrying the weight of tourists on their backs, which was slowly but surely wearing down their bodies? 

Placed side by side, the viral spectacle and the reporting of her death are difficult to separate. The photoshoot exposed the reality of elephants whose lives are shaped not by choice, but by constant abuse and mistreatment. For years, she remained part of the city’s tourism economy, walking long hours, carrying people on a saddle and existing within a system that rarely prioritised her wellbeing.

Elephant rides in cities like Jaipur are often framed as cultural experiences. The imagery is familiar and seemingly normal for most Indians and tourists alike: decorated elephants, heritage backdrops, and the promise of something “authentic”. However, none of that is natural for the elephant, no matter how historically accurate it may seem. 

At the centre of dominating elephants is phajaan, a ruthless process of traumatising them to such an extent that their spirits are broken. Young elephants are separated from their mothers, restrained, confined, and subjected to repeated torment until resistance becomes pointless. They are not trained, they are broken. They don’t learn obedience, they learn that the only way to survive is a quiet, fearful acceptance of a life where pain follows defiance, every single time. The ones that don’t submit eventually die from the torture. 

Elephants love mud and sand when they live in the wild and are free

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The baby elephants love sleeping on sand .