Elephants play an important role during Indian temple festivals. But the animals are often chained and forced to stand up for hours in extreme temperatures. Can robotic elephants be used instead?

A group of devotees hoist a giant idol of elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha as they prepare to dunk it in the Arabian Sea, marking the end of the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India ...

Devotees parade with a large idol of elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh in Mumbai, India, on September 17, 2024. - Saurabh Sirohiya/NurPhoto/Getty Images ...