Madras High court directed Tamil Nadu Government and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department to implement dress code from January 1, 2016 for devotees coming to offer worship in temples to enhance spiritual ambiance.
Disposing a petition filed by one Rasu seeking police protection and permission for “Adal Paadal programme” (dance and music) at Sri Shenbaga Vinayagar temple in Tiruchirappalli district, Justice S Vaidyanathan said “we should dress for public worship in a way that is generally considered appropriate”.
Entry into temples is governed by The Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorisation Act, 1947 and according to Rule 4 of the Act, “No person shall enter into temple premises unless he has had a bath and wears clothes of such materials and in such manner as is customary in such temple. No person shall enter a temple with any footwear.”
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Justice S Vaidyanathan passed an order to this effect at the Madurai bench of Madras high court last week. He had ordered that from January 1 men should wear a “dhoti or pyjama with upper cloth or formal pants and shirts” to temples and women should wear “a sari or a half sari or churidar with upper cloth.” Children could wear “any fully covered dress.”
He also clarified that temples where men were prohibited from wearing an upper cloth could continue the practice.
According to a source, “Many temples already have boards stating that devotees should avoid lungis, jeans, leggings and other inappropriate clothes.”