No jeans, no skirts: Temple rule sparks debate in UP’s Baghpat

A Digambar Jain temple in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh issued a dress code asking women devotees to avoid western attire and wear modest clothing with head coverings. While the temple cites sanctity and discipline, critics call it unnecessary and a publicity move

Baghpat (UP): The Digambar Jain temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat has issued a dress code for women devotees, asking them to avoid “western outfits”, wear “modest clothes” and cover their heads while entering the temple premises. In a notice issued a few days ago, the temple management said women should not enter the temple in “half-pants, bermudas, mini skirts, or western outfits such as jeans and tops”.

The temple in Baraut village is a prominent centre of the Digambar Jain tradition and houses an idol of Parshvanath. It is considered an important spiritual site, attracting devotees from several states, including Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

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Temple committee member Ankush Jain said the guidelines aim to maintain the sanctity and decorum of the religious site and is not intended to curtail personal freedom. “The decision has been taken to promote a sense of devotion and discipline among devotees,” he said. Temple manager Prabhat Jain said on Thursday the dress code has been put up on a board outside the temple and efforts are being made to ensure compliance.

“Women and girls arriving in western attire are being politely requested to follow the guidelines before entering the premises,” he said. The administration said with changing lifestyles among people, such efforts may help promote cultural values among the younger generation.

However, Amit Rai Jain, general secretary of the All India Shwetambar Sthanakvasi Jain Conference, termed the move a “publicity stunt”. He told reporters that the decision was an internal matter of the temple committee and noted that most devotees, including foreigners, already visit in “modest attire”.

Echoing a similar view, a local resident, Naveen Jain said the board placed outside the temple is merely an appeal and the issue is being unnecessarily amplified, asserting that, devotees, especially women and girls, “already wear modest clothes” while visiting temples. According to him, the step only reiterates an existing custom.