The Animal Rahat team recently received some terribly sad news: Gajraj the elephant passed away.

Gajraj had been captured in his youth—taken from both his family and his jungle home. He spent the next 50-plus years at a temple, where he was kept all alone: abused, neglected, and chained. Think of everything that happened in that time—a moon landing, Watergate, the end of the Cold War, the birth of the internet, the invention of the iPhone—yet decade after decade, Gajraj remained chained to one spot, his world unchanged.

Gajraj’s captors used cloths to hide his many wounds from unsuspecting visitors to the temple.

This photo, also taken at the temple, shows some of Gajraj’s wounds, including a large abscess on his flank and another abscess on his shoulder.

Animal Rahat’s veterinarians persuaded the temple to allow them to provide Gajraj with medical treatment to relieve some of his suffering. Meanwhile, they worked on a massive campaign to rescue him, joining people all over the world in celebration when he was finally released.

An Animal Rahat veterinarian examines a chained Gajraj.

An Animal Rahat veterinarian flushes the abscess on Gajraj’s elbow.

Gajraj lies sedated but still chained by at least three legs while an Animal Rahat veterinarian examines his eye to determine the extent of a problem with it.

An Animal Rahat veterinarian trims Gajraj’s painfully overgrown toenails and footpads. Foot problems such as these are common among captive elephants and can lead to disability and even death.

An Animal Rahat veterinarian offers Gajraj a banana for a tasty treat.

Everyone at Animal Rahat lovingly remembers Gajraj and is pleased that he was able to spend his final years in comfort at a beautiful sanctuary among other rescued elephants, under the care of Wildlife SOS.

Goodbye, dear Gajraj. Rest in peace, old man.