Andheri Mandal bans shorts, short skirts

This year the length of your hemline will measure the extent of your devotion If yoursquore over 13yearsold and stepping out for Ganpati darshan then watch what you wear as the powers that be at Azad Nagar Sarvajanik Utsav Samiti could throw you out of their holy sanctum if the length of your clothes falls lsquoshortrsquo of their expectations Representational picture The popular mandal in Andheri East better known as Andhericha Raja is imposing a sartorial law on visitors this year which bans short clothes mdash shorts or skirts mdash owing to alleged lsquoproblemsrsquo it faced last year when celebrities and college students entered the premises dressed lsquoinappropriatelyrsquo which samiti members found inconsistent with the religious nature of the occasion Dress code The mandalu00a0is imposing a sartorial lawu00a0on visitors this year owingu00a0to alleged lsquoproblemsrsquo it faced last year when celebritiesu00a0and college students enteredu00a0the premises dressed lsquoinappropriatelyrsquo File pic The 46yearold mandal is recreating Rajasthanrsquos wellknown Dilwara temple this year and is expecting a huge turnout from members of the Jain community Raju Savala is creating the replica over a sprawling area of 4500 square feet with 60 pillars forming a part of the structure The mandalrsquos decision was reportedly spurred by the fact that its committee is peopled by elderly members whose sensibilities were discomfited when young people allegedly entered the pandal to seek blessings but ended up creating an lsquounpleasant environmentrsquo with their lsquorevealing clothesrsquo For the sake of fairness the mandal has decided to impose the ban not only on visitors but also volunteers over 13 years of age from wearing short clothes Uday Salian spokesperson for the Azad Nagar Sarvajanik Utsav Samiti said ldquoThis was a unanimous decision taken by the committee as we all think there is need for some decency with respect to clothes that are worn when people enter a holy place We planned to do this after realising the unpleasant environment that was created last year when certain celebrities and college students had come wearing such revealing clothesrdquo He continued ldquoWe will also put a banner decreeing that the entry for people over the age of 13 and wearing short clothes is banned in this pandal We have also instructed our volunteers to keep watch on the queue and stop people who are seen in such clothesrdquo Devout dressing Early this year a few churches in Mangalore imposed a dress code on churchgoers banning them from entering the premises sporting sleeveless tops Tshirts with messages short skirts and tight jeans At the Guruvayur Temple in Kerala devotees have to maintain a strict sartorial code mdash men are to wear a mundu around their waist while they remain barechested with the exception of a veshti While young boys are allowed to wear shorts they are banned from wearing shirts Women are not allowed to wear western attire mdash they can only enter the temple premises in saris Young girls are allowed to wear long skirt and blouses Skirting the issue BOYS can turn up in three quarter pants but no one wearing shorts will be allowed in GIRLS can wear skirts that reach below knee level anything above the knees and theyrsquore out No gutka plastic The mandal has also banned the use of plastic and gutka within the pandal premises this year Acting on the appeal made by BMC and the mayor to avoid plastic the mandal will be using cloth bags to distribute Prasad to visitors The mandal has also decided not to accept sponsorship offers from gutka brands or advertise the banned substanceu00a0 Voices This is unfair to college students as we usually visit the pandals after college and during the rains we often find it convenient to wear shorts and instead of longer pants mdash Rigved Angne 20 Andheri W The problem with todayrsquos generation is that they donrsquot understand the importance of being properly dressed while visiting a holy place It is a very good decision taken by the mandal to protect the traditions of the festival and also a way to please the God mdash Prajakta Deshpande 47 Gilbert Hill Andheri W