Kanaka Durga temple to have traditional dress code

Vijayawada: Come January 1, devotees to the famous Kanaka Durga temple on the Indirakeeladri hill here will have near to traditional dresses for darshan. From next year, the temple is banning Bermudas, shorts,  mini-skirts, low-waist jeans and short-length T-shirts, middies, sleeveless tops.

According to the code, a woman devotee has to wear a saree or a chudidar-pyjama  and men must wear dhoti or lungi with uttareeyam or kurta-pyjama.

Speaking to this newspaper, temple executive officer V. Koteswaramma said, “A simple shirt and trousers are also allowed, but it would be ideal if men wear dhoti and uttariyam. Other than these traditional dresses, outfits like Bermudas, T-shirts, jeans, shorts and Western-style dresses are not permitted."

The dress code had been under consideration of the Durga temple board for the past few years. The Vaidika committee recently recommended implementing the dress code to maintain traditions in the temple. 

“We have decided not to allow Western outfits to maintain spiritual ambience in the temple. If any devotee forgets to follow this dress code, he or she will be advised to change the dress before entering the queue complex,” said Ms Koteswaramma said. “It would be applicable even to foreign devotees," she said.