Prohibition on shirt inside temples: Devaswom Board prepares for detailed discussion

Thiruvananthapuram: Paying heed to Swami Sachidananda's statement calling for putting an end to the prohibition of devotees wearing shirt inside temples, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has announced that it will discuss whether devotees could be allowed to visit temples wearing upper garments.

The issue has been brought to the discussion table following public statements by Swami Sachidananda and the Chief Minister. TDB member Ajikumar told Mathrubhumi News that all aspects of the matter would be thoroughly deliberated by the Board. The Travancore Devaswom Board oversees 1,252 temples, and given the varying opinions on this matter, the Board aims to evaluate all perspectives to arrive at a unified decision with an open mind.

Ajikumar further added that requests for such changes have been raised from multiple quarters. Hence, the Board will also deliberate on whether the proposal is practical and consult with all stakeholders to reach a consensus.

Swami Sachidananda, president of the Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust, had stated on Tuesday that the rule mandating devotees to remove their upper garments before entering temples should be abolished. He also urged the Sree Narayana community to intervene in eliminating such superstitious practices. The remarks were made during the Sivagiri pilgrimage conference.

In his address, Swami Sachidananda criticised certain drawbacks of temple practices. Inaugurating the event, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed hope that not only Sree Narayana temples, but also other places of worship would adopt such progressive measures in the future.