KARWAR : Hindu organisations have approached the Murudeshwar temple authorities to introduce a dress code for devotees. This follows a similar move by Gokarna Mahabaleshwar temple recently. At Mahabaleshwar temple, male devotees and tourists should wear a dhoti, while women must be dressed in a saree or churidar. Various Hindu organisations, under the aegis of Hindu Jana Jagruthi Samithi (HJJS), have approached Murudeshwar authorities, seeking a dress code similar to Gokarna temple.
“We met the trustees and appealed to them to implement a dress code,” said Sharath Kumar Naik, district convenor of HJJS. Naik said that thousands of people arrive in Uttara Kannada as it is a tourist destination. “They visit temples without being dressed appropriately as per the tradition. Some tourists had put their footwear in their bags, and visited a temple, which triggered the demand,” said Srikanth Naik, another member of HJJS.
HJJS has already approached Sirsi Marikamba temple and Madhukeshwara temple in Banavasi urging them to introduce a dress code. “Marikamba temple and Banavasi temple trust members have already held a meeting,” said Naik.
HJJS will appeal to all the trusts of temples like Gunavanteshwara, Dhareshwar and Shejjeshwar, among others to implement a dress code. “Once a temple decides the dress code, it should put up a board informing the visitors,” he said. “We can’t introduce a 100% dress code. But we’ve made the dress code must for devotees,” Vishnu Bhat, chief priest, Idugunji Ganapathi Temple, told TNIE.