Hindu Temple authorities impose dress code in Maharashtra & Uttrakhand to maintain sanctity.

Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangha, Hindu Janagagruti Samiti and Mahanirvani  Akhara took the initiative…

Temple Dress Code (Vastra Samhita): Wearing a skirt or a pair of shorts, torn jeans or anything wearing unjust, entry to many Hindu temples in Maharashtra and Uttarakhand disallowed.

Upendra Bharti | HENB | New Delhi | June 3, 2023:: To maintain the sanctity of the environs of worship places, many temple authorities in Maharashtra and Uttarakhand imposed dress code (vastra-samhita) as a mandate for the devotees and visitors to come there.

At the end of May, the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangha (MMM) has given a clarion call to enforce “vastra samhita” or dress code in temples across the state. The MMM appealed to all to maintain the sanctity of Temples and Shrines according to Hindu culture and tradition.

Following the decision, at least four temples in Nagpur enforced then the dress code. This includes Gopalkrishna temple in Dhantoli, Sankatmochan Panchmukhi Hanuman temple in Saoner, Brihaspati temple and Durgamata temple. Several other famous shrines in the district are exercising caution and not rushing to decide in this regard.

Posters appeared accordingly at the entrances of the temples urging devotees to be mindful of how they dress when visiting shrines. Devotees have reportedly been requested to wear decent clothes and avoid “short” and “revealing” attire to uphold the sanctity of temples.

Sunil Ghanwat, the chief coordinator of MMM, which is an association of temples in the state, said, “At a meeting held in Jalgaon in February we had taken the decision to evolve a dress code for temples. We will also request Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to implement the same in temples under government control across Maharashtra.”

Explaining the reason for the dress code, an MMM official said, “Places of worship have their own sanctity. Individuals come here with faith to offer prayers. What is wrong if people are told to wear decent clothes.”

“Certain rules and regulations are already in existence in several temples and other religious places,” he added.

It is to mention that earlier in May, a similar dress code was imposed at the famous Tuljapur temple in Osmanabad, triggering protests and criticism which ultimately led to the withdrawal of the restrictions.

Now, in this row, as many as 16 temples in Ahmednagar have imposed a dress code prohibiting entry to anyone wearing jeans, skirts, or revealing clothes. A huge notice board has been put up outside the temples with images of skirts, shorts, and torn jeans to suggest that such clothes are not allowed inside the temple.

The notice in Marathi reads, “Revealing, provoking, indecent outfits are not allowed inside the temple premises.” Further, the notice suggests
that outfits should be as per the Indian tradition.

The decision to implement a dress code in 16 temples in Ahmednagar has been taken on behalf of Mahamaharashtra Mandir Mahasangh (MMM) and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti.

Along with this, the dress code will be implemented in all the temples of the district and Maharashtra within the coming two months, MMM and Sunil Ghanwat of Hindu Jan Jagruti Samiti said. They have also asked the government that a dress code should be implemented in government temples.

Not only in Maharashtra now the imposing ‘dress code’ in Hindu temples reached to Uttarakhand also.

A dress code has been introduced to enter some of the Hindu temples of Uttarakhand. The scantily clad devouts to the famous Dakshprajapati temple at Haridwar and Neelkanth temple at Rishikesh would not be allowed entry.

If one is wearing a skirt or a pair of shorts, one may not be allowed to enter certain temples in Uttarakhand.

An edict in this regard has been announced and implemented by ‘Mahanirvani  Akhara’ managing these temples with immediate effect. Those women who have covered 80 percent of their bodies would only be allowed into these temples.

Mahant Ravinder Puri, secretary of Mahanirvani Akhara, Haridwar said that devouts visiting the holy places should be modestly dressed and earlier also appeals were made to the people to maintain the sanctity of such temples and now an edict has been passed. The Akhara appealed to the women devotees to come dressed in Indian attire while coming for prayers.

 Mahant Ravinder Puri said that such a system is already in place in the temples of South India and Maharashtra. A board is already put up at Tapkeshwar  Mahadev temple at Garhi Cantt in Dehradun regarding the dress code.

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__Inputs from Agencies.