The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Thursday issued an advisory for the servitor Nijogs and hotels in Puri to spread awareness among devotees to wear decent and appropriate clothing while visiting Srimandir.
SJTA Chief Administrator Ranjan Das has written letters to the presidents and secretaries of all the servitor Nijogs and hotel owners to create awareness among visitors in this regard.
“Religious shrines of different religions throughout India and abroad have their own dress code for devotees visiting those shrines to ensure religious sanctity and spiritual ambience in those places. For quite long time scholars and researchers, priests and devotees of Lord Jagannath had been demanding for introduction of the same in Puri also,” read the advisory.
“People coming in shorts, transparent and revealing dresses, torn and ragged jeans and other inappropriate costumes should be discouraged to continue with such practices. Although no illustrative list of dresses have been prescribed by the Temple Administration, however we Ieave 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 advisory further read.
“Since many such visitors and devotees are used to staying in hotels and guest houses which are the originating points before coming to temple, we urge you to educate your staff, tourist guides, and yatri pandas collaborating with you to spread awareness among the visitors in this regard. While such awareness campaign will continue till the end of the year, the Temple Administration may take more stringent measures at all gates to ensure it in letter and spirit from the New Year,” it added.