Puri: As part of an awareness campaign ahead of the implementation of the dress code at the Jagannath Temple in Puri, the servitors were seen actively making efforts to inform devotees about a tradition of having darshan of deities in consecrated attire.
Today on the first day of the holy Kartik month, some alert servitors were found teaching the devotees, who were in a western outfit, about the dressing sense while entering into the temple.
In a video, a servitor was seen stopping a devotee near the Singhadwar and making him wear a ‘dhoti’ over his ‘barmuda/shorts’.
The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has decided to introduce a dress code for devotees visiting the centuries-old shrine in Odisha’s Puri town from January 1 next year.
To spread awareness among devotees, the temple administration has launched a drive to educate pilgrims to maintain decency in their clothes while visiting Srimandir.
As per the decision, pilgrims visiting the temple in shorts, transparent and revealing dresses, torn & ragged jeans and other inappropriate costumes would be discouraged to continue with such practices.
Although no illustrative list of dresses has been prescribed by the temple administration, the authorities have left it to the conscience of devotees to wear decent and appropriate dresses like pant, shirts, chudidar-punjabi and dhoti etc. in case of men and sarees, salwar-kameej etc. in case of women.
The SJTA will introduce the dress code for devotees from January 1. Devotees flouting the dress code will not be allowed to enter the temple. The Pratihari servitors and Jagannath Temple Police Service personnel will be assigned the task to ensure the dress code for devotees.
