Mumbai: The Maharashtra Mandir Sangh claimed it has implemented "dress code" for devotees in 18 more temples in Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palghar. The Sangh announced this at the press conference held at the Sitladevi Temple in Mahim where a dress code was implemented too. The meet was chaired by Sunil Ghanwat, Convener, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Maharashtra.
Four temples in Nagpur have implemented the dress code in temples since the Sangh had started its drive.
The drive comes at a time when there is no visible change in the dress by devotees while they visit temples or any precedent that calls for a dress code. FPJ had spoken to prominent temples in Mumbai when Shri Ahobila Mutt in Chembur had put up a board outside the temple premises asking devotees to strictly adhere to a dress code before entering the temple.
Back then, all prominent temples said that they did not see a need to have a dress code. They went on to state that they never felt the need to implement a dress code.
Dresses ready for those not dressed conservatively
When asked about the justification to have a dress code when there is no visible difference in the clothes people wear while visiting temple and most of them dress in conservative fashion while visiting temples, Ghanwat said, "Most people come in normal dress but modern young people who do not understand the difference between temple and other places, this dress code is for them. We will have some clothes for them to wear before they head to the temple."
When asked about bare chested priests inside temples, comfort level of a male or a female to come in shorts and keeping people away from temple by not allowing them, Ghanwat retorted, "In the south there are dress codes in certain temples. Would someone go and say they will wear what they want to?"
He gave a list of 18 temples that have decided to implement a dress code. These include Shree Shantadurga Devsthan, Shree Sitladevi Devsthan, Mahim, Shree Murlidhar Devsthan, Mahim, Shree Ashtavinayak Devsthan, Pali and Shree Jeevdani Mandir, Virar among others. Ghanwat said that as of now 114 temples in Maharashtra have implemented a dress code despite no untoward incident reported related to the dress of a devotee.
