“Action to be taken against those not following dress-code in temples”: Mahanirvani Akhara Secretary

Haridwar (Uttarakhand) [India], June 9 (ANI): Days after a dress code was implemented for women and girls in three major temples that come under Mahanirvani Akhara in Uttarakhand, the Secretary of Mahanirvani Akhara, has said that the action will be taken against those people who do not follow the guidelines.

Shrimahant Ravindra Puri, Secretary of Mahanirvani Akhara and President of Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad told ANI that women and girls cannot wear short clothes and enter the three temples that come under Mahanirvani Akhar.

“I made an appeal that women and girls should not wear short clothes and enter the temples. This has been appreciated by the women. Posters and banners have also been put up at several temples so that people follow this guideline. If people do not follow these guidelines, actions will be taken against them according to law,” Puri said.

The temples include Daksh Prajapati Temple at Kankhal in Haridwar, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple in Pauri district and Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple in Dehradun, he said.

“Women and girls cannot enter these three temples wearing short clothes. These three temples come under Mahanirvani Akhara,” Puri added.

Earlier, he had said that the Akhara has appealed to the devotees visiting the temple that the temple is a place for introspection and not for entertainment.

“On behalf of Mahanirvani Akhara, an appeal has been made to women and girls that if they are coming for temple worship, then they should wear clothes according to Indian tradition. Only then they will get entry into the temple”, he had added.

Shrimant Ravindra Puri appealed to the girls and women as well as their family members to come to the temples only with at least 80 per cent of their body covered.

He claimed that this system is already in force in temples of South India and Maharashtra.

“Now this system is being implemented here also. So that the devotees coming to the temple do not face any uncomfortable situation,” he added.