🐘 The Last Parade: Tikiri’s Story — A Plea for Compassion

In the heart of Sri Lanka, where ancient traditions meet modern life, a haunting image emerged in 2019 that would shake the world’s conscience. It was Tikiri — a 70-year-old female Asian elephant — frail, skeletal, and shackled, forced to march in the grand Esala Perahera parade in Kandy. Beneath the ornate costume that masked her emaciated frame, Tikiri stumbled through smoke and noise, her eyes reflecting quiet suffering.

For ten nights, she endured the spectacle. Tourists cheered, fireworks exploded, and the procession moved on — but Tikiri’s pain remained hidden behind ceremonial grandeur. Her bones protruded beneath the fabric, her body weakened by years of neglect. She was one of many elephants used for religious festivals and tourist treks, but her condition was so severe that it sparked global outrage.

🌍 The image of Tikiri, shared by Lek Chailert of Save Elephant Foundation, went viral. People around the world were stunned by the contrast: a majestic creature reduced to a shadow of herself, paraded for tradition while her health deteriorated. “Tikiri was severely undernourished,” said elephant expert Jayantha Jayewardene. “It is a wonder that she lived this long”.

Following the outcry, Tikiri was withdrawn from the final night of the parade. But the damage had been done. Weeks later, she collapsed and died in Kegalle, 80 kilometers east of Colombo. Her death prompted calls for reform, and the Sri Lankan government ordered an autopsy to investigate her treatment.

📣 Tikiri’s story became more than a tragedy — it became a symbol. A symbol of the cost of spectacle, of the silent suffering behind tradition, and of the urgent need for ethical treatment of animals. Her final parade wasn’t just a march through the streets — it was a global wake-up call.

Today, activists continue to fight for better regulations, pushing for an end to the use of elephants in parades and tourism. Tikiri’s legacy lives on in petitions, protests, and policy debates. Her image — haunting and unforgettable — remains a reminder that beauty should never come at the cost of cruelty.

Because Tikiri didn’t just walk in a parade. She walked into the hearts of millions, leaving behind a message that still echoes: dignity, not display.