Thiruvananthapuram: The decision of 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 ‘churdhar’ 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 executive officer K N Satheesh said that the protests against the decision were uncalled for. “If at all anyone has a problem, the person can approach the courts,” Mr Satheesh said. On November 29, the executive officer had decided to relax its dress code for women, permitting devotees to wear the traditional Indian ‘salwar kameez’ and ‘churidar’ while worshipping at the shrine. Normally, women devotees who arrive at the temple in ‘salwars’ and ‘churidars’ have to wear a ‘mundu’ (dhoti) over their attire, from waist down.
It was a local resident, advocate Riya Raji, who had approached the High Court against the practice of wearing 'mundu' over the usual attire. After considering the petition, the High Court had directed the executive officer to examine the matter. Ms Raji had approached the High Court after her plea to the executive officer did not elicit any response. On November 16, the court had observed that it was not right to prevent a woman in a 'churidar' from entering the temple. The court also directed the executive officer to take a decision within a month.
