Hampi I miss the lanes of Goa during monsoon, without the crowds. And every itinerary that takes you here UNESCO Heritage SiteThe spiritual center of the erstwhile Vijayanagara Empire is a prominent feature. Out of the hundreds of dilapidated and desecrated temples in the city, travellers can worship only Lord Shiva Virupaksha TempleWhich is one of the only active temples in the area, if you don’t count the smaller shrines that are scattered across the rocky landscape. And in this temple, despite the monkeys eyeing the offerings (and your glasses), you’ll meet its more important resident – Lakshmi.

Lakshmi and Virupaksha

Unlike other temples in India, which are often home to rambunctious monkeys and langurs (and rats if you are in Rajasthan), Virupaksha is the only temple in South India that houses an elephant. Other temples have animals during special occasions and processions, but here Lakshmi has a permanent job. Except during the summer months, when she goes to the jungle camp for her regular check-ups and rest, she stays inside the temple complex, to the left of the entrance gopuram.

You must be wondering what Lakshmi’s job is? For a 10 rupee note, which she deftly takes from your hand and hands to her mahout, she extends her trunk over your head to bless you. The rubbery trunk seems soft and kind; she remains calm and restrained in the temple, she is used to the crowd of devotees around her camp, waiting for her blessings. For the locals, Lakshmi is an incarnation of Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva, who is the main deity at Virupaksha. Hence, her importance and stature have increased in the eyes of the residents of Hampi.

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It is also heartbreaking to see an animal confined in a small space within a temple, and wonder how it was trained to take offerings from people in exchange for blessings. But we are told that its mahout takes care of it and it is rarely chained. The traces of its life before it lived in the temple are slowly fading away.

Lakshmi’s life has not been easy. We were told how, at the age of four, she accidentally killed her trainer, which led to her being trapped in an elephant prison. She was later rescued and rehabilitated and has been looked after by her mahout ever since. We met her on the way to the Vithala Temple complex, when she was out on a morning walk. Every day, around 8 am, she accompanies her trainer to the banks of the Tungabhadra River, where she is given a thorough massage. The same river that was once the lifeline of the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, now sustains the lives of local residents and Lakshmi.

Then the giant steps out of the river and onto the green roads that mark her return journey to the temple. She chews sugarcane during her journey, and that’s when we found her. For a small offering, she extends her trunk, and gently rests it on my head. She shows the same courtesy to my companion (for another 10 rupee note which she gives to her mahout who was sitting on top of her), and I get an extra pat during this exchange.

And she has a small economy on her back. Not only does she sustain the livelihood of her mahout and his family, but she also contributes to the lives of the farmers who grow food for her, and the fruit vendors, who sell their wares to devotees looking for offerings to her. Though Lord Shiva may be the reason you visit Virupaksha, you will soon realise that all life at the temple revolves around this gentle giant, who charms his way into your heart.

Also read: We spent a monsoon weekend at the most beautiful hotel in Hampi; here’s why you should go there too

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