Shilpa Shetty’s Photo in Lingaraj Temple Sparks Row

Bhubaneswar: A photo of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty taken inside the restricted area of Bhubaneswar's revered Lingaraj Temple has sparked public outrage. The image, which went viral on social media, has deeply offended many devotees in Odisha.

Shilpa Shetty was in Bhubaneswar on Monday for the inauguration of a jewelry store and visited the temple afterward. However, the photograph raised questions since mobile phones are strictly prohibited within the temple grounds to maintain sanctity and for security reasons. Despite this rule, similar incidents involving celebrities with phones inside restricted temples have occurred, highlighting what many see as double standards.

In one of the pictures, a temple supervisor was seen posing with the actress, intensifying criticism as this individual is responsible for enforcing temple regulations.

Devotees and public figures have questioned the administration, with many wondering how Shetty managed to take photographs within the sacred space. BJP MLA from Bhubaneswar, Babu Singh, stated, “This is a serious and recurring issue. Even the Prime Minister adheres to temple protocols when visiting. All visitors, including celebrities, are explicitly told not to bring mobile phones into temples like the Puri Srimandir and Lingaraj Temple."