Jagannath Rath Yatra 2023: Is There A Dress Code That Devotees And Servitors Should Follow In Puri Temple?

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People, these days, are visiting temples in hordes as they have begun admiring the mysterious attraction that temples hold. The cultural background, the historcial significance, and relgious beliefs draw a lot of visitors to the famous and popular temples in India. Not only they are a feast to the eyes, but they are a source of spiritual enlightenment.

These days, it has become very important to observe dress code while visiting the temples. Puri Jagannath temple is no different. Usually all temples have their own restricted list of clothing that the devotees are not expected to wear.

There are chances that women devotees will be mistreated by the servitors and temple staff and they cant be traced unless they wear a servitor dress which distinguishes them from the others.

The devotees can then file a complaint against the right person. The administration committee is being requested to make dress code compulsory; people are requesting. Efforts are on to implement the dress code for servitors.

In order to ensure an hassle less darshan, some discipline should be maintained in the temple. It is not only the servitors but also the devotees need to wear traditional dress as long as they are in the temple they say.

Puri Jagannath temple committee has introduced a dress code for servitors performing the rituals inside the sanctum and the inside premises.

Modern clothing as per the temple authorities, are shirts and trousers. Now they are all asked to wear dhoti, gamuchha and patta.

Devotees are unable to recognize the difference between pubic and temple servitors as the public servitors have a habit of wearing shirts and trousers.

A Senior servitor observed that the temple used to have servitors dressed up in traditional attire in the ancient times. But the new generation of servitors have begun to wear half pants and even jeans.

The temple authorities have no objection to servitors wearing modern clothes. But that should be allowed strictly outside the temple. Wearing the traditional attire protects the sanctity of the temple.

The temple administration is going to implement the dress code for the temple servitors. The Jagannath temple police and other staff who will be entering the temple will have to wear traditional clothes. In other parts of the temple, the police can wear their uniforms.

Cameras will be placed around the temple area to keep an vigilant eye on the goings on. The temple authorities are thinking seriously about implementing dress code for devotees too in the same manner as the Sabarimala temple.

Devotees may have to wear a traditional dress to enter Srimandir.. Firstly, the servitors, temple personnel, and others must wear religious dresses and traditional dresses inside the Garbha Gruha and within Bhitar Kath limits.

For servitors, it would be in effect from Kumar Purniam and the employees entering the Garbha Gruha will have to follow dress code from November 5, the temple authorities informed.

Although devotees arrive in casual dress, the dress code is going to begin with Servitors, and temple administration staff and Temple police.

Once this is accepted, the dress code will be extended to the rest of other servitors and temple employees.
Most servitors are walking around the Ratna Singhasan wearing western dresses. Devotees, encouraged by this act, say that they would be inspired to wear western dresses, says a senior servitor. Actually even pokharia should not be entered wearing western dresses.

To the temple authorities, temple is not a tourist destination which can be visited wearing any dress.Devotees, however, are of the feeling that people from far off places will be inconvenienced by this move. Devotion cannot be assessed from the dress you wear. It remains a controversial topic when it comes to dress code to be followed in the premises of the Jagannath temple of Puri.