JAIPUR: A viral photo-shoot in the city featuring an elephant painted in bright pink triggered a wave of criticism online and renewed concerns about the use of animals in creative projects. The images, shot in Nov 2025 by Russian photographer, Julia Buruleva, resurfaced on social media in March and quickly drew attention for their striking visuals as well as the ethical questions they raise.Buruleva first shared the ‘pink elephant’ post on Instagram in Dec 27, 2025. Later, in a post on Feb 18 on the same platform, she said, “For anyone worried about the elephant — we used organic, locally made paint, the same kind locals use for festivals, so it was absolutely safe for the animal.”In another post on March 20, Buruleva explained that the concept came to her during her first week in Jaipur. She wrote that elephants are deeply associated with Rajasthan and are visible in the city’s streets, ornaments, and architecture. Wanting to include one in her work, she said she chose to paint the animal a solid bright pink, describing it as the most popular colour in Rajasthan. She also wrote the shoot took place at an abandoned temple of Lord Ganesha, calling it a fitting setting.On Monday, members from Amer’s Hathi Gaon said the elephant was cleaned within 30 minutes of the shoot to ensure that the animal faced no discomfort because of the colour.‘Herbal colours used, washed in 30 mins’“This elephant, Chanchal, was under the care of someone who lived outside Hathi Gaon, therefore it was available for the project. The photographer was researching for her project last year and she came across the elephant caretaker who agreed to it. The whole process was safe for the animal, as only herbal colours were used and it was washed within 30 minutes,” Ballu Khan, president of Hathi Gaon Vikas Samiti, said.Another photographer who was part of the team, speaking anonymously, said the shoot was purely an artistic expression and did not harm the animal. “This is just an expression of art and in no way did the team harm the animal. Organic colours were used to paint both the animal and the model and the shoot was completed within 25 minutes, after which the animal was handed over to its caretaker,” the photographer said.Despite the assurances, many social media users condemned the photo-shoot.Commenting on one of the posts, Aakash Prabhakar, a filmmaker, said: “… An elephant is not a canvas. It’s not a prop. Whether the paint is ‘non-toxic’ or the handler is experienced does not change the fact that this is a wild animal being used for aesthetic value…”Reacting to the controversy, Buruleva posted on Instagram on Monday, “I didn’t expect this attention actually…”In the past, as part of her Art Expedition, Buruleva undertook a project where she painted camels in the Sahara Desert in Morocco, the pictures of which she shared on social media.
