Tamil Nadu: Leftist & Islamist elements started ‘anti-Hindu’ protest against dress code in the Thanjavur Brihadeeswarar Temple.

Introduction of dress code catches attention of the Devotees at Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur. But, the Leftist elements started protest against dress code with Islamist support. 

 Men asked to visit the temple clad in a dhoti or trousers and shirt while women have been advised to turn up in a sari or salwar suit with dupatta; temple staff say the rule has been introduced at the behest of a section of Hindu devotees to maintain the sanctity of places of worship not treating those as a place of tourism.

B Upendran | HENB | Thanjavur | Dec 3, 2023:: The sudden enforcement of “dress code” at the Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) has caught visitors by surprise attention of the Devotees and found the regulations right. But, some leftist and anti-Hindu organisations have started protest over the Hindu dress code, when they don’t believe in Hindu religion at all.   

Two boards have been put up at the main entrance and footwear and cloakroom of the temple by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department and the Thanjavur Palace Devasthanam requesting visitors to wear certain types of attire only. While Hindu men need to wear ‘dhoti’ or trousers with shirt, Hindu women have been asked to visit the temple in a sari, half-saree or salwar suit with a dupatta.

Though the temple employees said the boards were necessitated in view of ‘displeasure’ expressed by a section of devotees over the dressing habits of some visitors. Temple staff say the rule has been introduced at the behest of a section of Hindu devotees to maintain the sanctity of places of worship not treating those as a place of tourism. But, the regulation has not gone down well with another section of non-Hindu visitors who visit  the Big Temple for some other purpose other than worship. The dress code is supposed to be applicable for the devotees ready to the go the sanctum sanctorum for worship of Lord Brihadeeswarar.

Since the Big Temple is a heritage monument and is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, people from all over the world visited the temple to cherish the architectural splendour and grandeur of the structure raised by the great Chola Emperor Raja Raja. This being the case, insisting on a dress code was unwarranted, according to Raheem (name changed) of Kizhavasal, Thanjavur, who visits the temple frequently.

The coordinator of Thanjavur Tourism Promotion Council, S. Muthukumar, said visitors may be requested not to turn up in “objectionable” dress. He suggested that such boards could be displayed at the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum in the temple so that the devout alone proceeded beyond a point to pray.

Meanwhile, the Thamizh Desiya Periyakkam president, P. Maniarasan, demanded that the boards be removed from the temple precincts because access to the Chola marvel, which stands testimony to the architectural expertise of Tamils, could not be denied to non-Hindus. Instead, visitors should be enlightened to enter the temple premises clad in a decent attire, he added. This ‘Thamizh Desiya Periyakkam’, an organisation with their  anti-Hindu agenda demands separate Tamil Nation in India.

Govindaraj of the National Temples Federation said there was no need to impose a stringent dress code. Non-Hindu visitors to the Big Temple usually refrained from entering the sanctum sanctorum. Those who are inappropriately dressed may be asked to stay away, he said.

On Saturday, a group of people, organised under the banner of Idathusarigal Podhu Medai (Common platform of Leftists), staged a protest in the Thanjavur  against the enforcement of a dress code for visitors to the Brihadeeswarar Temple.

The protesters raised slogans against the move introduced by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments and the Palace Devasthanam under which men are required to wear ‘dhoti’ or trousers with shirt, women vistors have to wear sari, half-saree or salwar suit with a dupatta.

The Big Temple attracts visitors from across the globe and the notification of the dress code, without any consultation with stakeholders, has come as a mystery, the protesters said and urged the department and the devasthanam to withdraw the announcement, failing which a major agitation would be organised. Members of various anti-Hindu organisations participated in the agitation.

But, it is interesting that some leftist and anti-Hindu organisations with the support of Islamist lobby have started protest over the Hindu dress code, when they don’t believe in Hindu religion at all with their agenda to oppose Hindu faith to satisfy the the other faiths like Islam and Christianity.  

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__Inputs from TH.