Mumbai’s famous Siddhivinayak temple now has dress code for devotees. What’s banned?

When visiting the famous Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai, devotees are required to dress modestly and cover their bodies, ideally in Indian attire.

This is owing to a new dress code announcement made by the Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust (SSGTT) for visitors to the sacred site.

According to the notice, the clothing code intends to preserve the decorum and sanctity of the temple’s premises.

Here’s all we know about it.

Siddhivinayak Temple dress code

Visitors will no longer be allowed to enter the temple wearing ripped jeans, short skirts, or skimpy clothing starting next week.

Devotees have been urged by the trust to wear Indian attire or other appropriate clothes that respect the temple’s spiritual and cultural significance.

This decision was made in response to multiple complaints from devotees regarding improper clothing being worn on the sacred site.

Many believed that some clothing choices were insulting to the atmosphere and values of the temple.

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“We received repeated requests from devotees to implement a dress code that aligns with the sanctity of the temple,” an official from the trust stated. The step is intended to uphold the traditions and cultural heritage associated with the temple while fostering an environment of mutual respect.

Also read: Four transgender women allowed to enter Sabarimala day after Kerala cops asked them to come back in men's clothes

Not the first time in India

Last year in December, the Banke Bihari temple administration in Vrindavan issued an appeal to devotees asking them not to come wearing half pants, mini skirts, night suits, torn jeans, leather belts or any objectionable attire citing that it is a place of worship and not a tourist destination.

The appeal was made to maintain decorum at the temple, Umesh Saraswat, Deputy Manager of the temple administration, had said, as per Hindustan Times.

Swami Satchidananda, the head of the Sivagiri Mutt, proposed allowing men to wear shirts inside temples on December 31, 2024, sparking a fierce debate. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan backed the proposal, which led to accusations of interference in temple rituals from the Nair Service Society (NSS) and other dominant-caste Hindu groups.

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Indecent attire was prohibited at the ancient Kailash Temple in Agra in June 2023. Women were required to wear sarees or salwar kurtas, while men were asked to wear dhotis or kurta pyjamas.

The Radha Rani Temple in Barsana, Mathura, issued a similar call to its devotees, requesting that they adhere to the clothing code and refrain from wearing skirts, torn jeans, bottoms, etc.

Those who did not follow the clothing code were prohibited from entering the Gilahraj Hanuman temple in Aligarh by the mahant.

In the same year, a temple in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, banned pilgrims from entering the premises while wearing short, skimpy attire, citing it as “indecent” attire.

The Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee also urged pilgrims to dress modestly while visiting the sacred site in order to uphold the spiritual significance of the site and prevent any actions that could negatively impact its religious sanctity.

Devotees wearing Western clothing were being turned away from Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu in 2016 after a court order in Madras said that jeans, skirts, short sleeves, Bermuda shorts, and tight leggings were inappropriate for spiritual worship.

Many other Hindu temples and other places of worship in the nation bar visitors based on their gender, attire, or dietary choices; some even forbid non-vegetarians from entering.

Also read: Padmanabhaswamy Temple dress code: Kerala HC upholds ban on salwar kameez

Similar bans by international monuments

In 2024, the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu in the Philippines implemented a dress code to uphold the sanctity and reverence of the place.

The policy stated, “Visitors must dress appropriately for worship, as the Basilica will no longer provide shawls. Those not meeting the dress code or with shawls rented outside will be denied entry.”

Last year, two women were denied entry to the iconic Catedral de Sevilla in Spain due to clothing deemed inappropriate, as per the religious institution’s dress code.

Similar moves have been observed in Italy’s churches, cathedrals, or religious complexes, which often display a sign outside indicating what one can and cannot wear. It is forbidden for both men and women to enter with uncovered shoulders, midriffs, or knees.

In Japan, which is already known for its conservative culture, visitors are expected to avoid wearing revealing clothing, especially when visiting religious sites.

In 2016, the Church of England outlawed clergy wearing excessively skimpy attire when they appeared at the altar, as per Telegraph.

In 2010, the Vatican City banned scantily clad tourists from entering the holy Christian state. According to the Italian news agency, ANSA, tourists in skimpy summer clothing were told to cover up before entering Vatican City.

With inputs from agencies