Hampi's Virupaksha Temple bans bananas to protect elephant, preserve cleanliness

The historic Virupaksha temple in Hampi has imposed a ban on bananas within its premises, aiming to preserve cleanliness and protect its temple elephant, Laxmi, from the constant attention of tourists, reported TOI. The temple's decision comes after repeated incidents where visitors fed bananas to the elephant in large quantities, often resulting in the animal becoming visibly disturbed.

Hanumantappa, the temple's endowment officer, confirmed the ban in line with a directive from the Vijayanagara district administration. According to the report, he explained that the influx of visitors, many of whom bring bananas to feed the 36-year-old elephant, had led to littering. Leftover bananas and plastic wrappers were often discarded carelessly, marring the site, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hampi.

Laxmi, who has been subjected to constant selfies and attention from overzealous tourists, was recently seen in distress after some visitors allegedly force-fed her. With the temple seeing daily footfalls of over 5,000 and up to 50,000 during holidays, the authorities felt compelled to take action, said TOI.


The temple, often referred to as 'Dakshin Kashi', holds immense religious significance. Hanumantappa appealed to visitors to respect the sacred space and cooperate with the administration in maintaining the temple's sanctity and cleanliness.