Ayodhya's Ram Mandir priests get new dress code, trust bans smartphone among other Dos and Don'ts: Report

Priests have been banned from carrying mobile phones in Ram Mandir. Let us tell you that mobile phones cannot be taken to Ram Mandir. Along with this, a special dress code has also been implemented for Ramlala's priests.  

Priests in Ayodhya’s Ram Temple would now be seen in a new attire following a change in the dress code. The temple's management body, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, has replaced the priests' traditional saffron garments with bright yellow safa (headgear), chabandi (kurta), and dhoti.

In addition, the trust has revised several additional dos and don'ts for priests and prohibited them from bringing cellphones within the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). According to reports, the actions are a part of an attempt to keep priests consistent and set them apart from other people on the property.

The priests at the Ram Temple now have to adhere to a new clothing code. The chief priest, four assistant priests, and twenty trainee priests will now all wear yellow dhoti, chaubandi (a full-sleeved kurta), and safas to wrap over their heads, according to assistant priest Santosh Kumar Tiwari of the Ram Temple.

Earlier, majority of the priests at the temple donned saffron attires. “Some of the priests used to come in yellow attires, but it was not mandatory,” added Tiwari. He said that the recently implemented clothing code complies with the Sanatana Dharma's requirement that priests wear their heads and hands covered.

The trust has stated that the restrictions on carrying mobile phones have been imposed due to security reasons, but sources say the decision was taken following the water leakage controversy. 

Other rules introduced include setting five-hour shifts for the priests. Sources said that as per the new dos and don’ts, the chief priest would be assisted by four assistant priests while each assistant priest would be assisted by five trainee priests whose shifts would start from 3:30pm and would last till 11pm.