Protecting Hampi’s Sacred Stone and Sentient Life – Request for Permanent Policy Change at Virupaksha Temple
- Priya Chetty
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
20 June 2026
Dr. Nandini Bhattacharya Sahu,Joint Director General, ASI Delhi. EMail: Mediacell.asi@gov.in
Shri K. Rama Krishna Reddy, Superintending Archaeologist, ASI Hampi Circle. Email: sasi@gov.in
Subject: URGENT: Protecting Hampi’s Sacred Stone and Sentient Life – Request for Permanent Policy Change at Virupaksha Temple
Dear Sir/Madam:
We are writing to you not just as citizens, but as custodians of a shared past. As the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) works tirelessly to protect our monuments, we wish to bring your urgent attention to an ongoing anomaly that threatens both our material heritage and our collective conscience: the practice of housing captive elephants within the highly sensitive, centuries-old architectural zones of the Virupaksha Temple in Hampi.
While we acknowledge and thank the authorities for the recent medical relocation of the temple elephant, Lakshmi, this cannot be a temporary fix. It must be the catalyst for a permanent, institutional policy change. True heritage conservation does not look at monuments in isolation; it respects the integrity of the stone and the dignity of life connected to it. Keeping a heavy, sentient animal tethered inside a living UNESCO World Heritage site violates both.
We urge the ASI to enforce a strict, permanent ban on housing large animals within the monument boundaries, based on three critical grounds:
Chemical and Structural Erosion of Ancient Stone: The architectural marvels of the Vijayanagara Empire were built to withstand time, but they were never engineered to bear continuous, heavy biological loads or the severe chemical erosion caused by animal waste. The immense weight and constant movement of an elephant over centuries-old stone pavements, ornate pillars, and sub-surface foundations cause silent, irreparable structural shifting. Just as Heritage Beku has consistently fought against the use of unscientific materials like concrete in heritage zones, we must also recognize that introducing unsustainable biological pressures is equally damaging to historical stone.
The Threat of Mechanised Intervention (The JCB Risk): Housing a massive animal in a restricted, ancient courtyard invites a terrifying logistical nightmare. Should an elephant’s health deteriorate to the point of recumbency, or worse, should it pass away within the inner precincts, human hands alone cannot move it. Heavy machinery—cranes and JCBs—would have to be brought into the highly fragile architectural core. Navigating mechanized equipment through these narrow, historic corridors poses an imminent, catastrophic risk of crushing and destroying priceless, irreplaceable carvings and structures.
The Living Spirit of Heritage (Animal Cruelty): For a state and a culture that prides itself on its deep, historical reverence for nature, forcing an elephant to live on hard, unforgiving stone pavements is a violation of our cultural ethics. Enclosed spaces, constant public exposure, and unnatural flooring lead to severe joint degeneration, footrot, and intense psychological distress for these majestic creatures. A monument cannot be considered "preserved" if it serves as a site of active trauma for a living animal. Hampi’s heritage is alive, and it must reflect empathy, not exploitation.
The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act gives the ASI the mandate to protect these sites from preventable degradation. True preservation means stepping up to stop practices that belong in the past.
We urgently request the ASI Hampi Circle to coordinate permanently with the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department and the Karnataka Forest Department to ensure that no elephant is ever housed, tethered, or kept overnight inside the protected monument boundaries again. Our temple elephants deserve a natural, off-site sanctuary where they can touch the earth, not concrete or stone.
Please acknowledge receipt of this citizen grievance and inform us of the permanent, systemic steps being taken to safeguard the stone of Virupaksha and ensure the welfare of these animals.
Hampi belongs to the ages. Let us protect it with the foresight and dignity it deserves.
Sincerely,
Priya Chetty-Rajagopal
Co Founder, Heritage Beku
Bangalore
damaged legs and feet due to hot granite .
Lakshmi the Elephant
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