Unknown to her majestic self, Elephant Madhuri has become the unwilling star of a saga that combines animal welfare, judicial oversight, political posturing, and that special Indian spice—religious sentiment. If Madhuri had a lawyer (and frankly, she deserves one), he would be buried under a mountain of petitions, affidavits, affidavits about affidavits, and expert opinions on everything from her toenail infections to her access to spiritual ambiance. For 33 years, Madhuri lived at the Nandani Math in Kolhapur—comfortably or otherwise. Some assumed she was the living embodiment of peace and prosperity, blessed by the gods and bathed in love. Reality, however, turned out to be less idyllic. An NGO, fulfilling its........

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