'Dhoti-Kurta' clad cops for Kashi Vishwanath temple security

'Khaki' may be a synonym for the police personnel but at the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, its 'dhoti-kurta'.

Apparently in deference to the wishes of the devotees, the administration in Varanasi has decided to change the uniform of the police personnel, who were deployed inside the 'garbha griha' (sanctum sanctorum) of the temple, to   white 'dhoti' and yellow 'kurta'.

Police officials said the decision was taken after considering the wishes of the devotees, who flocked in large numbers to pay obeisance at the temple, which is among the 12 'jyotirlingas' (holiest temples of Lord Shiva) in the country.

They said that the devotees had often objected to the presence of rifle clad uniformed cops inside the 'garbha griha' saying that it created a sense of fear among them.

Women cops  

The police officials said that the male cops would wear 'dhoti-kurta' while the female cops would be in their usual uniform.

''We have started it as an experiment....it will become a permanent feature if the experiment is successful,'' said a senior police official in Varanasi.

He also said that the cops would be in their original uniform outside the sanctum sanctorum. Cops are deployed inside and also around the entry and exit points in the lanes that lead to the temple.

Situated on the western bank of the holy Ganga river, the Kashi Vishwanath temple is famous all over the world and Hindu devotees from across the globe flock it in large numbers.