Decision of Padmanabha Swamy Temple authorities to relax dress code put on hold

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The decision of the Padmanabha Swamy Temple authorities to relax the dress code, and allow women to wear ‘churidar’ while entering the interiors of the sprawling temple, has been put on hold. The direction to maintain status quo was issued by the district judge on Wednesday after a group of people came out in protest against the decision of the temple executive officer.

The group had organised a roadblock at the western entrance of the temple on Wednesday morning.

It was removed only after the district judge issued the order to maintain status quo. Women devotees who reached the temple in ‘churidar’ were not allowed entry by temple authorities on the grounds that they have not received a copy of the executive office’s decision. Security officials, too, took the stand that the order was not received. Nonetheless, women who took the east and south entrances could freely enter without being blocked.

However, temple EO K N Satheesh said that the protests against the decision were uncalled for.

On November 29, the temple EO had decided to relax its dress code for women, permitting devotees to wear the traditional ‘salwar kameez’ and ‘churidar’ while worshipping at the shrine.