As temples in Maharashtra see dress code wave, visitors have mixed feelings

Mumbai: Temples across Maharashtra are gradually adopting dress codes for visitors, as trusts managing these places of worship have issued guidelines urging devotees to wear modest, traditional clothing.

While temple trusts have emphasised that dress codes are needed to maintain the sanctity of religious places, visitors have had mixed reactions to the development.

Temples managed by the Chinchwad Devasthan Trust, including those at Morgaon and Theur in Pune district, Siddhatek in Ahilyanagar and the Morya Gosavi Sanjivan in Pimpri Chinchwad and Khar Narangi in Raigad, on Friday, issued advisories requesting visitors to wear "appropriate" attire.

The trust clarified that the dress code is not mandatory but is a respectful appeal to maintain decorum in these temples.

The latest advisory appears to be part of a trend gradually emerging across the state.

Aditi Kane, a resident of Pune, said, "These days, people don't plan ahead to visit temples but club them with their holidays to certain destinations. I have visited temples while holidaying and observed that barring a handful of visitors, most people wear decent attires. There is nothing wrong with temple managements expressing their expectations about dress codes, but they should not enforce it." In January this year, Mumbai-based Shree Siddhivinayak Ganpati Temple Trust announced a dress code for the prominent temple that sees thousands of visitors, including celebrities.

Last year, dress codes were introduced for visitors at 50 temples in Ratnagiri, with signboards at entrances urging people to be fully clothed and avoid garments that exposed body parts.

The Maharashtra Temple Federation held meetings in 11 locations in Ratnagiri, and in these discussions, trustees of the temples decided to enforce a dress code of traditional Indian attires.

At least 16 temples have introduced similar restrictions in Ahilyanagar district and have barred entry to visitors wearing jeans, skirts, shorts, or other "revealing" clothing.

Noticeboards outside these temples display the types of clothing considered inappropriate, and a guideline written in Marathi states that "revealing or provocative" clothing was not permitted inside the premises of the temples.

Right-wing organisations Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh and Hindu Janajagruti have stated that similar dress codes will be implemented across all temples in Ahilyanagar and possibly across Maharashtra.

They have also appealed to the state government to apply dress codes at prominent state-run temples such as the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple and Shani Shingnapur Temple in Ahilyanagar district.

A couple of years ago, a "Vastra Samhita" or dress code was put into effect at four temples in Nagpur — Gopalkrishna Temple in Dhantoli, Sankatmochan Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple in Bellori (Saoner), Brihaspati Temple in Kanolibara, and Durgamata Temple in Hilltop.

Earlier, Sunil Ghanwat, a coordinator of Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangha, said, "The decision was taken at a recent meeting of the Maharashtra Temple Trust Council in Jalgaon. Devotees are expected to avoid objectionable clothing while visiting temple premises." Devotees, however, have had mixed reactions to the dress codes at temples.

Mumbai resident Vanita Somawanshi said, "A dress code makes sense, as people visit temples with devotion in their hearts and minds. It is better to avoid dresses that are revealing or extremely fashionable, such as ripped or torn jeans. Even t-shirts with objectionable captions should be avoided at temples."