‘Yellow Clothes, No Smartphones’: New Rules to Apply for Ayodhya Ram Mandir Priests
'Yellow Clothes, No Smartphones': New Rules to Apply for Ayodhya Ram Mandir Priests
Move aimed to maintain uniformity and enhance security
Ayodhya’s Ram Temple will have new guidelines for its priests, requiring them to adhere to a specific dress code and banning the use of smartphones within the sanctum sanctorum. As per, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, managing the temple, these measures aim to maintain uniformity and ensure security.
Under the new rules, priests must wear bright yellow attire, including a safa (headgear), chaubandi (full-sleeve kurta) and dhoti. Santosh Kumar Tiwari, an assistant priest at the temple, stated, “A new dress code has been implemented for the priests at the Ram Temple. Now the priests, including the chief priest, four assistant priests, and 20 trainee priests, will sport yellow safa, chaubandi, and dhoti.”
Previously, most priests at the temple wore saffron clothing. Though some occasionally donned yellow attire, it was not mandatory. The newly introduced dress code will standardize this across all priests.
In addition to the dress code, the temple trust has imposed restrictions on carrying mobile phones within the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). Ashok Upadhyay, an assistant priest to Ram Lalla, explained that while priests can no longer bring Android phones, they are allowed to use basic keypad phones for communication if necessary. These restrictions have been implemented due to security concerns and recent issues of water leakage.
The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government recently suspended six officials in Ayodhya following reports of waterlogging and road cave-ins on the newly-built Ram Path. However, Champat Rai, the General Secretary of the Temple Trust, denied allegations of water leakage from the roof of the Ram Temple. “The first thing is that in the sanctum sanctorum where Lord Ramlala is seated, not a single drop of water has dripped from the roof, nor has water entered the sanctum sanctorum from anywhere,” Rai said on X.
The new measures come as part of a broader effort to maintain discipline and enhance the worship experience at the temple, which now includes 26 priests, with 21 newly trained priests joining the ranks.
The trust is yet to issue an official instruction regarding the dress code, but the move has already generated significant discussion and attention.
