Sivagiri Mutt Leads March Against Temple Dress Code

Monks from the Sivagiri Mutt are set to organize a march to the Travancore Devaswom Board to protest against longstanding temple dress codes requiring male devotees to remove upper attire. This follows calls from Swami Satchidananda to abolish such practices, which have drawn mixed reactions from the Kerala government and religious organizations.

Monks of the Sivagiri Mutt are taking action, organizing a march to the Travancore Devaswom Board headquarters on Friday morning. Their protest targets longstanding temple customs, specifically the requirement for male devotees to remove their upper attire when entering temples.

According to a statement by the Sivagiri Mutt, the march will begin near the Museum at the statue of Sree Narayana Guru on January 17. This movement is the realization of a plea by Swami Satchidananda, the head of Sivagiri Mutt, who condemned the practice as a 'social evil' and called for its abolition weeks ago.

The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, expressed support, suggesting the reform marks significant progress. However, not all agree; NSS general secretary G Sukumaran Nair criticized governmental interference, while Vellappally Nateshan of SNDP Yogam emphasized preserving Hindu unity despite varying practices among temples.

(With inputs from agencies.)