A few seconds of footage are enough to spark an international controversy. This is what happened with Chanchal, a seventy-year-old elephant who lived near the famous Amber Fort in Jaipur, Rajasthan. In the video, which has gone viral in recent weeks, the animal appears covered in bright pink powder while a model rides it. In the photo the model Julia Buruleva.
The video remained in the shadows for months, until the news of Chanchal’s death in February 2026 brought everything back to the foreground, transforming an aesthetic dispute into a case of alleged animal abuse.
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The mahout replies: “It was only organic gulaal”
Sadiq Khan, the mahout who has looked after Chanchal for years, strongly denies all accusations. According to his story, the model approached him on the street asking him to organize a spontaneous photo shoot. In exchange for 2,500 rupees, Khan agreed. The session lasted just fifteen minutes and the color used on the animal was dry gulaal, the vegetable powder traditionally used during Hindu holidays such as Holi, therefore organic and free of chemicals.
As for the elephant’s death, Khan was categorical: Chanchal was elderly and suffered from heart problems.
“The postmortem carried out by the forest department confirmed that the cause of death was cardiac arrest,” he said. “The paint has nothing to do with it.”
Buruleva also confirmed the mahout’s version. In an Instagram post published on February 18, he wrote that the color used was identical to the one used by the local population during the celebrations, therefore absolutely harmless for the animal. On March 30, after Chanchal’s death became public knowledge, the photographer added:
“The shooting was short, supervised, and the elephant remained calm throughout. I am in no way responsible for what happened.”
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A life between the fort and the elephant village
Chanchal was no stranger to Jaipur. For years he had been part of the herd of 76 elephants in Hathi Gaon, the “elephant village” on the slopes of Amber Fort, where the animals were used to transport tourists up a steep four-kilometer route. Five years ago she retired, dedicating herself since then mainly to walks within the village.
A long life, spent in contact with visitors from all over the world, and ended, according to official reports, due to natural causes linked to advanced age.
The institutions and the pressure of animal rights activists
Despite the denials, the case ended up on the authorities’ table. The Rajasthan forest department, while refusing to make public statements, has set up a commission of inquiry to shed light on the circumstances of the elephant’s death. An official confirmed the news anonymously.
Meanwhile, the international organization PETA has entered the matter with a straight leg, denouncing the general conditions of the elephants used for tourist walks at Amber Fort: animals kept chained and controlled with coercive instruments, with serious consequences on their physical and psychological well-being.
Actress Rupali Ganguly, a well-known face on Indian television and PETA activist, has written directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for intervention. In the letter, he called for India to follow Indonesia’s example by banning elephant rides and promoting technological alternatives, such as robotic elephants or decorated electric vehicles, to preserve cultural iconography without resorting to animal exploitation.
A story still open
Chanchal’s case touches raw nerves that go far beyond a single video. It brings together tourism and animal protection, cultural tradition and contemporary sensitivity, individual responsibility and institutional regulation. The commission of inquiry will have to establish whether there was negligence.
xaBut the question that many are asking is not about paint. It’s about everything else. Why did we do it? Why do we continue to use animals as backdrops for our content? Chanchal did not die of pink. But maybe she lived too long without anyone really caring.
