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“No Short Skirts Or…”: Siddhivinayak Temple Imposes Dress Code

You might have followed a dress code in schools and offices. But now, a temple in Mumbai is following the same suit. Mumbai’s Shree Siddhivinayak temple announced a new dress code for devotees.

The dress code was announced at a press conference held by the temple trust. The Siddhivinayak temple trustees announced an advisory on the dress code on Tuesday.

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The newly implemented dress code will be followed starting next week in anticipation of the Maghi Ganpati festival. According to the temple trustees, devotees should strictly follow the advisory when visiting the shrine.

The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust has banned torn or ripped denim clothing and body-revealing outfits. The devotees wearing revealing or inappropriate attire will not be allowed to enter the temple premises.

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All devotees visiting the temple have been advised to follow Indian culture in their attire. The order reads, “Devotees wearing trousers with cuts or torn fabric, short skirts, or clothing that exposes body parts will not be allowed to enter the temple.”

The statement continued, “The devotees should wear modest traditional Indian clothes. The rules mandate that individuals wear clothes that fully cover the body.”

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The temple trust also urged visitors to prefer Indian attire during darshan. This is not the first time the temple has issued such an advisory on the attire worn by devotees. According to reports, the temple trust issued a similar set of rules a couple of decades ago.

According to Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust, the decision to follow a dress code comes after several complaints over the inappropriate clothing causing discomfort to other devotees present in the temple.

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The trust said, “After receiving repeated and multiple requests, the temple trust has decided to implement the dress code to preserve the sanctity of the temple”.

Pawan Tripathi, the treasurer of the trust, while talking to mid-day.com, said, “We have received complaints over the clothes of some devotees from the other devotees. They want some restrictions on the clothing. Devotees need to follow the decision taken by the temple trust.”

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Tripathi further stated that several temples across the nation have started imposing dress codes for devotees in recent times.

Sandeep Rathod, deputy executive officer of the trust, said, “This advisory is the result of our observations over a period of time. The trustees met on January 16, and devising an appropriate dress code was one of the issues that came up for discussion. It was felt that people dress well for community gatherings and festivals, so the same respect should be given to the temple, too.

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“We will, of course, give adequate time for implementation,” he said. But, the new dress code is meant to be followed from the next week itself. However, Rathod said, “The trust will consider providing alternate items of clothing to unwary visitors, who may not be aware of the new rules or arrive from other cities”.

The temple trust further clarified that the dress code is being introduced to ensure that all devotees feel comfortable during their visit. They also believe that a mandatory dress code would maintain decorum and preserve the cultural norms within the temple premises.

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During the press conference held by the temple trust, they also released the list of cultural and religious programmes for the annual Maghi Ganesh Utsav.

Along with the dress code, the temple trust also decided to stop using plastic bags inside the temple. Earlier, plastic bags were used to distribute Prasad to devotees. In the meantime, the temple has started using paper packets to pack prasad and other purposes.

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This initiative is in line with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) action against one-time plastic use and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board’s initiative against the ban on plastic products.

Meanwhile, the celebrations and events at the Shree Siddhivinayak temple will take place between January 30 and February 4, 2025. However, this set of new rules has led to a discussion about the choice of attire in spiritual and religious places.

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However, the Siddhivinayak temple is not the first or only temple to impose such a dress code. In May 2023, four temples in Nagpur district implemented the code. In 2023, the Maharashtra mandir Mahasangh (mmm) introduced a dress code called Vastra Sanhita for devotees visiting temples in Maharashtra.

According to a report by India Today, Mahasangh is an organization of temple trustees, managers, priests, advocates, and activists. The Sangh has convinced over 131 temples in Maharashtra to adopt its dress code. The code Vastra Sanhita prohibits wearing clothes that are considered indecent, revealing, tight-fitting, or torn.

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In addition to the dress code for pilgrims, the Mahasangh also demanded a ban on the sale of meat and liquor within a 500-meter radius of temples.

Meanwhile, the Shri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha. It is located in the Prabhadevi neighbourhood of Mumbai, Maharashtra.

The Shri Siddhivinayak temple is one of the most popular Hindu temples in Mumbai. The temple is visited by 75,000–90,000 people daily.

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