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Dress Code Change in Guruvayur Temple Women wearing Churidar and Salwar allowed

Guruvayur Devaswom managing committee of the famous Sri Krishna Temple in Guruvayur changed the dress code and allowed women wearing churidars and pyjamas to enter the temple. Men wearing pants (trousers) and shirts are still not allowed. So are women wearing jeans and other non-Indian dresses.

Before the decision, only women wearing sari or Kerala traditional ‘mundu’ and ‘veshti’ were allowed in. The change in the outdated custom is a great relief to thousands of female devotees from India and abroad. Even majority of the young women in Kerala will find it more comfortable in churidars and salwar and kamis.

Earlier, women to enter the temple used to wear mundu over the ‘kamis’ and it used to look funny and it was a mockery of the outdated custom.

A group of people in the temple thrived due this custom by providing mundu for rent to women. The poor women devotees were often forced to wear those unclean mundu to enter the temple. Similar is the fate of men who are forced to wear the unclean mundu.

Interestingly, majority of the temples in Kerala have no dress code. No idea in which Hindu scripture it is mentioned that people with certain dress should be kept outside. Due such customs the Guruvayur Temple has alienated the common Hindus in Kerala.

In Guruvayur Temple, Lord Krishna, Sanatana Dharma and common Hindus have suffered a lot. A visit to the temple brings peace and calm to the mind but a visit to the Guruvayur Temple sadly disturbs the mind. Thanks to some individuals and their outdated tradition.

The similar outdated custom still prevails in the Sri Padmanabha Swami Temple in Trivandrum, Kerala.

To enter the four walls of the temple, we need to obey rules and regulations set by certain individuals with covert intentions. But sadly these people never realize that the four walls cannot confine Lord Krishna. He is everywhere and he smiles and plays with all the people. Next time while waiting in the queue to enter the Guruvayur Temple, look around you will find him playing all around the temple. In fact, he is playing everywhere.

Update: Supreme Court of India Upholds Dress Code Change in Guruvayur Temple