The climbdown by the sect is unusual in a state where it enjoys immense clout. The Hanuman statue from where the murals were removed, for example, was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in April
The temple, which has a 54-foot-tall statue of Lord Hanuman called King of Salangpur, is run by the Vadtal Swaminarayan faction of the Swaminarayan sect.
While the statue was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in April, the controversy was triggered around a week ago after some devotees objected to the depiction, saying the murals demean Lord Hanuman.