Temple dress code comes into effect

According to a recent order of the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court directing the HR&CE department to implement dress code, men should come in dhotis or pyjama with cloth on top or formal full trousers and shirts and women should be clad in sari, half-sari or churidars. 

The order was issued by Justice S Vaidyanathan on Nov 26, while hearing a writ petition seeking the court’s permission to hold a “Gramiya Adal Padal Vizha” (musical dance programme) at a temple in Tiruchy. 

Sources in HR&CE administered temples in the city said that only very few devotees failed to come in the stipulated dress to the temple. As it was the first day of implementation of the order, temple officials explained them the new rule and allowed them to enter the temple. 

While a majority of the devotees from the city followed the code, some groups from other states were found in casuals as they were not aware of the order. According to one of the pilgrims from a Karnataka group came wearing a leggings. The woman said that she was not aware about the code that has been enforced. “Hereafter, I will wear the dress prescribed in the rule while going to other shrines in Tamil Nadu,” she said.