A fiery confrontation erupted at the historic Menabasidi site in Karnataka’s Badami town after a tourist allegedly objected to an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) staff member entering the monument wearing footwear.
A fiery confrontation erupted at the historic Menabasidi site in Karnataka’s Badami town after a tourist allegedly objected to an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) staff member entering the monument wearing footwear. The exchange, caught on camera at the famed Badami Cave Temples in Bagalkote district, has ignited a fierce online debate over religious sanctity, heritage site rules, and public behaviour inside protected monuments.
The viral video shows the tourist aggressively questioning an ASI employee over why she was inside the premises wearing slippers. The tourist also demanded immediate intervention from senior authorities, accusing the staff member of disrespecting religious sentiments by walking and sitting inside the temple complex with footwear on.
Defending herself during the tense exchange, the ASI employee stated that she was following official duty instructions and urged the tourist to verify the footwear regulations applicable to staff members working within the protected heritage site.
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The staff member appeared visibly shaken during the confrontation and was later seen crying while speaking to her supervisor over the phone.
The controversy has sharply divided opinion across social media platforms. Several users backed the tourist, arguing that the 6th-century Badami Cave Temples remain sacred spaces where everyone — including government personnel — should remove footwear to preserve the sanctity of the site.
So far, the ASI has not issued any official clarification regarding footwear guidelines or designated footwear-free zones for employees working inside the monument complex.
