Priyanka Chopra slammed for using horses, elephants at her wedding

MUMBAI - First, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas were criticised for lighting up the sky with a fireworks display at their wedding over the weekend, an act seen as pollutive to the environment.

Now, it is the turn of animal rights group People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (Peta) to issue its own roar of disapproval, this time over the use of elephants and horses during their nuptials in Jodhpur in India.

"Priyanka was ill-served by not being advised of the firestorm that would be caused by participating in animal abuse," Peta India chief executive Manilal Valliyate said.

"It doesn't make a person look big or glamorous to promote cruelty to animals which have no choice but to serve. It makes them look small."

It is a common tradition in India to see the groom, accompanied by family and friends, ride a decorated horse or elephant during a procession to the wedding venue.

American singer Jonas, 26, was said to have ridden a horse while he and Bollywood superstar Chopra, 36, were reported to have ridden around the grounds of the Umaid Bhawan Palace on the back of an elephant.

Those acts prompted Peta India to post: "Elephants for weddings live (with) chains and horses are controlled with whips, spiked bits.

"People are rejecting elephant rides and having horse-free weddings. Congrats, but we regret it was not a happy day for animals."

It also posted a video, called Captive Elephants In Jaipur: Peta India's 2014 Inspection, that revealed their living conditions, reported the Hindustan Times.

Priyanka, who is a spokesman for a campaign to help people with asthma, was earlier lambasted for hypocrisy over the fireworks display on Saturday.

Recently, she had appeared in a publicity campaign urging people not to burn firecrackers during Deepavali.

But there were no protests or catcalls at the Jodhpur airport on Monday afternoon when the couple flew to New Delhi.

Meanwhile, the cost of their wedding remains a talking point, with the Refinery29 portal, for example, reporting that they had booked the entire Umaid Bhawan palace for the weekend for US$461,000 (S$629,000).

The palace reportedly created a helipad to allow guests to get to the venue by helicopter.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.