Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Breaking his silence over the ‘temple dress code’, Katha Vachak Pt Pradeep Mishra said such practice will discourage jeans and T-shirt generations from visiting the Hindu shrines.
Terming the idea of ‘temple dress code’ as the brainchild of some non-religious people, Pt Mishra said if the temples follow this code it would divert our young generation to other religions.
If a dress code is introduced in temples, the young generation who prefer wearing jeans and T-shirts will stop visiting temples and so this should not be encouraged, said Pt Mishra while delivering a religious discourse at Pushkar in Rajasthan. A few temples in the state capital have imposed a ban on the entry of devotees in inappropriate attire. The temples have put up posters on the premises barring the entry of people wearing short shirts, Bermudas and revealing western dresses. Even the Jain community had banned entry of visitors to its temple in the city.
Launching a scathing attack on people advocating temple dress code, Pt Mishra said, “It is brainchild of non-religious people to introduce dress code in temples. Such a dress code will encourage youths to divert to other religion. If the God becomes happy with the changing of attire then the dresses of mannequins are changed daily and so the God should have become happy with mannequins as well.”
“It is hardly matters to Lord Shiva who wears what as he (the Lord) is not much impressed with dresses of devotees, " Pt Mishra said, adding that such issues misguide Sanatani people.
Sanskriti Bachao Manch convener Pt Chandra Shekhar Tiwari clarified, “The Hindu outfits have not banned entry of people wearing Jeans and T-shirt in temples. We have only said that Jeans should be full and not ripped. Scanty and revealing outfits will not be allowed. Women should not visit temples wearing night suits and males in Bermuda. They should wear traditional dress in temples as these are not tourist places. Eve teasers harass girls if they visit temples in scanty dresses. Hindu outfits remain present there to protest such activities in temple premises. So Pt Mishra should support us in this campaign.”
