The image of lemmings leaping off cliffs in mass suicide is one of the most durable animal myths. It was popularised by the 1958 Disney documentary White Wilderness, whose filmmakers reportedly pushed lemmings off a cliff to stage the illusion. The idea is older than the film, dating back at least to the late 19th century, though its exact origin is unclear. Real lemmings do not behave this way; their population swings are driven by food and predators rather than self-destruction. The story persists because it makes such a vivid picture.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.