Puri Jagannath Temple Issues Clarification On Reports Of Enforcing 'Dress Code' From January 1

The temple administration has clarified that they are not implementing a dress code but urged devotees to be "appropriately dressed".

Devotees gather at the Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in Odisha's Puri has clarified that there would be no "dress code" to visit the temple as some media reports claimed. The temple administration had earlier announced that it would implement a strict dress code inside the Jagannath Puri temple from January 1, 2024.

However, now they have clarified that it would not be a dress code, but merely a "dressing etiquette". Chief Administrator Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA) Ranjan Kumar Das said that the administration is not implementing a dress code, but is urging people to dress in a manner which will be appropriate for religious and spiritual rituals. 

Das said, "No basically a dress code, we are urging people to dress in a manner which is appropriate for religious and spiritual manner... People should follow all kinds of seriousness while attending the temple... We consulted the management committee members and other stakeholders. Everybody was of the opinion that people who come to the temple should come in a dress appropriate to the shrines."

#WATCH | Puri, Odisha: On the dress code for the Jagannath Puri temple, Chief Administrator Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA) Ranjan Kumar Das says, "No basically a dress code, we are urging people to dress in a manner which is appropriate for religious and spiritual… pic.twitter.com/6FKrNmaJba

— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2023

Earlier last week, the temple administration announced that a dress code for devotees will be implemented in the Jagannath temple from January 1, 2024.

Binayak Dasmohapatra said, "Lakhs of devotees visit Puri for the darshan of Lord Jagannath. Therefore, implementing a dress code for all devotees is essential to upholding the temple's spirituality and sanctity," reported NDTV. He added, "Devotees should wear traditional clothes while visiting Jagannath temple. They should not wear clothes such as shorts, ripped jeans and skirts. Dress code has been introduced at several shrines across the country."

According to NDTV, a servitor's body in Puri Srimandir named the Daitapati Nijog had been demanding a dress code for the devotees who were visiting the Puri Jagannath temple. The body reportedly often used to say that many people come to the temple in shorts that hurt the religious sentiments of devotees.