Kerala Temple Relaxes Dress Code For Women

The famous Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Kerala on Tuesday decided to let women enter the premises if they wear a salwar or churidar. Earlier, women had to drape dhotis over whatever they used to be wearing like a churidar to enter the temple.

The temple's new rule comes in the wake of the September 29 judgment of the Kerala High Court where this order was passed. The temple's executive officer has now implemented the new rule.

The landmark ruling came on the petition of advocate Riya Raji. She contended that the temple has made many changes in rules, but that nothing had been done to change the bizarre dress code. HC judge Shaji P Chali took the decision of changing the dress code and asked the temple executive officer to take a decision within a month of the court’s judgment.

ALSO READ: Eight Temples in India that bar entry of women

The administrative committee appointed by the Supreme Court resisted the idea initially but later agreed to it. The court clarified that the administrative committee feels that the change in dress code is an unnecessary matter to be discussed when other issues were at hand and also this might affect the tradition if the decision is taken without wider consultation.

“We have received representations from bureaucrats, scientists, doctors and women seeking permission to enter the temple wearing decent dress,” executive officer K N Satheesh told Indian Express. He added that the demand has come from across the board without any good reason given as to why it should be worn over the salwar or churidar.

Picture credit- Kerala Tourism