Panaji: Goa Temple Bans Foreigners
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Jun 6: Scantily clad foreigners and even domestic tourists have forced few important temples in Goa to impose dress code during the visit. One of the temple has even banned entry of foreigners.
The decision to impose dress code came after frequent instances of scantily-clad foreigners and even Indian lady tourists visiting the temples. The temple managements have said that the devotees were upset over such dresses, which forced them to impose restriction.
Mahalasa Narayani Temple at Mardol town, 20 kms away from Panaji, has prominently displayed a board which reads: Entry Restricted for Foreign tourists. While Mardol temple has banned the entry, two more temples Mangueshi temple in Mangueshi village and also at Ramnathi Temple in the temple town of Ponda has put restriction on them.
“We are not against the foreigners but their dresses and conduct in the temple is highly objectionable because of which temple management has decided to ban them from entering in the precincts,” said Vinod Kamat, President, Mahalasa Narayani Temple.
The local devotees were outraged after some foreigners, ignorantly, wore garland in their neck which was supposed to be offered to the deity. “They used to wear garlands themselves and later dump it before deity, which was highly objectionable,” Kamat said adding that even the Holy water, which is given for the devotees, was leftover back in the vessel.
“There has to be some discipline in the temple,” Kamat, who heads the committee of Goa’s one of the Oldest temple, said. The temple has almost 100 foreigners visiting every day, which has now stopped. They can now just go around the temple but can’t enter in.
The tour operators usually bring foreigner tourists to these temples, which are architectural marvels and also strong religious importance.
Mangueshi Temple, located just next to Mahalsa Narayani Temple, has also imposed severe restriction.
The temple President Jayant Mandurkar said that they have not banned the foreigners but instead has forced strict dress code. “The dress code is for foreigners and domestic tourists alike,” he said.
Mandurkar pointed out that the tourists were arriving with short skirts, shorts and exposing dresses, which was cutting sorry figure. “We have put up a board asking tourists to desist from entering temple with improper dress,” he stated.
Many foreigners, after reading the board, contact temple committee’s office and enter the temple only after wearing shawl.
“Foreigners are cordial. They don’t argue. But we always have confrontation with the domestic tourists,” he said.
The temple management has said that the tourists wearing beach wears can go for picnics on the shorelines but when they plan to visit temple, they should be aware about their dressings.
Mandurkar said that they had written to the tourism department in January, this year, informing about the restriction.
The tourism industry has welcomed the decision of temple managements. “This will not impact the tourism flow. In fact, all over world there is proper dress code suggested while visiting religious places,” said Ralf D’Souza, President, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG).
D’Souza said that the visitor at mosque in Istanbul cannot enter inside without wearing shawl. In Goa, the temples are meant for worship, and we cannot disturb their sanctity in the name of tourism, he added.
Comment on this article
Gomez D'Souza, Goa
Tue, Jun 07 2011Nothing wrong in the decision. Even the RCC has dress code for visiting catholics which led to the Americans joking about the decision, "It would be better to blindfold the pope than wear all these robes." Folks, at least these people are not imposing the dress code in the daily life of worshippers like in Islam where women are made walking Mummies and in af-pak even their eyes are to be covered to see from behind a grill!! I personally support a dress code at any religious place of worship as it would help others from getting distracted.
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amin, Mulky
Tue, Jun 07 2011VERY GOOD DECISSION BY THE TEMPLE MANAGEMENT.MR.A.D'SOUZA, KODIALBAIL.....SO SILLY COMMENTS FROM YOU...CHOTI DIMAK...CHOTI BAAT.
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The Rev. SEK, Hyderabad
Tue, Jun 07 2011Fine. There are many other great temples to visit. BOYCOTT GOA!
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Aparimit D'Silva, Kuwait
Tue, Jun 07 2011Shouldn't this be applicable at Churches as well ?
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A. D'Souza, Kodialbail
Mon, Jun 06 2011I will not be surprised if some one reads it as “Entry Restricted for Foreign Tourists” to mean entry restricted or narrowed down only to them and not to others.
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Tina, Moodbidri
Mon, Jun 06 2011Ravi Gopal Acharaya, Udipi/Dubai
Really appreciate yr comment.
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Ravi Gopal Acharaya, Udipi/Dubai
Mon, Jun 06 2011Good move by the Goa government. Even dress code need to be implimented on our pujaris (purohits) of temples as they too are almost half naked all times.
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Hrishikesh, Mumbai
Mon, Jun 06 2011Perhaps it should be Entry restricted to Visitors not adhering to dress code !!!
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Charles D'Mello, Pangala
Mon, Jun 06 2011Scantily dressed human beings are not allowed inside the temple..!!!??? God has a problem with that or the poojari..!!!???? Sex poses sculpted on the granite outside the temple are O.K and nobody has any issues regarding that..!!!???
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Joseph Menezes, Goa
Mon, Jun 06 2011Good decison by our Goa Temple assocation. I wish our Goa goverment make similar somethings for Durgs mafias from Russia..
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Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai / Mapusa
Mon, Jun 06 2011Why restrict only Foreigners. Most of our Indians visiting GOA feel, behave and wear as if they are in some foreign country. It would be more appropriate to display
“ENTRY RESTRICTED FOR DEVOTEES WITH INDECENT CLOTHING”
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Clara Lewis, Kemmannu/Dubai
Mon, Jun 06 2011In Malta all churches kept robes for the tourist to wear before entering the church.
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Sushanth, Mangalore
Mon, Jun 06 2011Good move from the Goa govt., I think Karnataka Govt should also take similar measures at Hampi, Chitradurga and Gokarna
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nagesh nayak, bangalore
Mon, Jun 06 2011GOOD DECISION.
ALL ARE WELCOME INSIDE THE TEMPLE .
BUT DRESSES & CONDUCTS OF SOME TOURISTS ARE LIKE AS IF THEY ARE IN A BAR.
JAI HO SHRI MARDOLA MAHALSA NARAYANI.
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vinayak Shenoy, mangalore / Dubai
Mon, Jun 06 2011Indeed a very good move... I agree to the words of Mr. Ralf D'Souza. When properly guided forgieners do agree to keep the sancity safe. But not the locals.
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prajwal, dubai/mangalore
Mon, Jun 06 2011good decison by the Goa Government and the temple management.
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suresh, mumbai
Mon, Jun 06 2011well done..
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RP, Mangalore
Mon, Jun 06 2011Good move By the Goa Government
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