The ancient temples of Hampi have seen a decline in marriage ceremonies due to stringent regulations imposed by the central and state archaeology departments and the religious endowment department. For generations, families considered Hampi a sacred location for weddings, but restrictions on cooking and photography within temple premises have led many to opt for private wedding halls. The regulations have also impacted traditional practices, including children’s head-shaving ceremonies.
The decline in temple weddings has been attributed to the lack of coordination among the various departments involved. The religious endowment department requires permission from the archaeology department, while officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) state that approving or rejecting weddings is not within their purview. This confusion has led many families to abandon the idea of a temple wedding in Hampi. Despite this, simple weddings without pomp reportedly continue in temple premises, with priests performing rituals for couples as long as the ceremonies do not involve feasts, photography, or large gatherings.
Vijayanagara DC Kavita S Mannikeri has expressed her intention to review how weddings were conducted in the past and explore ways to ensure the tradition continues while adhering to departmental rules. Anjaneyalu, executive officer of the religious endowment department in Hampi, has also echoed concerns, stating that hundreds of weddings used to take place every year but have now become rare due to the rules laid down by the ASI. Ramakrishna Reddy, ASI superintendent, Hampi Circle, has clarified that the ASI has never imposed restrictions on weddings and that their responsibility is to protect monuments, with no objection to conducting weddings near the temple as per the rules.