Dress Code for Tamil Nadu's temples

I guess, between-the-legs variant is more popular in North Indian societies!
Just for records, I was refused entry in Kaniyakumari temple unless I wear vesti with nothing on upper torso!
I did manage with a red color saree of my wife!
I double-folded it and wore like vesti!!

Among five Indians, the other night, three brahmin, one royal and one hindu->christian convert, only one knew about the dhoti-style-only-for-married-men thing. She also immediately quoted the madisar-only-for-married-women tradition.

New to everybody was a tradition, encountered earlier in the evening, that a man should not shave between the birth of his child and its naming. We all agreed, that however much we think we know, there is always some more customs, followed by some group or community, to surprise us!

I would hate to have to wear a sari as a vesti. Even folding one is an order of magnitude different to folding a vesti (I love the way the shop people do it, as if it had never been unfolded!) and I hope it was cotton, or, one slip, and there you are: standing in a pile of fabric, rather than wearing it. Unless she lent you her sari skirt too!!!

Even a silk vesti has a tendency to slip, whereas cotton will stay put for hours.

Sorry, but a little confused Nick...
You weren't aware of Panchakacham & madisar until recently, right?!


Wah!

Same with me but I didn't had one! I had to have my darshan. I was suggested by one local to fold the saree from in between so that its length become equal to saree then tie it in the manner a vesti is tied. It worked.
I do not regret till I followed the local tradition!
Regards, PraKaant

Very much aware of these things, but didn't know about the married-only stuff.

An ordinary veshti can be worn, just wrap it around your hip, by anyone from small children to grand dad, but the panchakachcham, worn between the legs can be worn only by married men, and it is enough if you wear the ordinary type over your pants, while you visit temples, and remove once outside, but practice, since you may fall down if it constraints your walking.You can have all the excess folding at the front to avoid this.

"If you can get used to it, the local traditional dress, the vesti (similar to Dhoti), can be hiked up to air the legs and dropped down again to ankle length when formality requires it."

that is a good one Nick-H!

true, simply.

I don't know why anyone would wear a vesti over trousers, thus adding to the fabric layers, heat and discomfort --- unless it is just for a few minutes.

They may be doing so for saving themselves from hassles of changing dresses.
But, there are stricter rules in some of Kerala temples, like in Guruvayur temple you would not be permitted to wear vesti over the trousers.
Devotees can purify themselves by taking bath at the temple pond on the northern side, known as Rudratheertham, and can enter into the temple preferably with wet clothes.
The devotees would not be permitted to enter the temple wearing shirt, banyan, pyjama, lungi, chequered clothes, etc.
Regards, PraKaant

Exactly, just for a few moments, to save from embarrassment if one loses control of the veshti .It is only for the temple visits and not for regular use.For that matter one can wear even a long underwear or a 3/4ths inside the veshti in most of the temples.

The mode of veshti wearing style, ordinary or between the legs panchakachcham certainly applies in Tamil Nadu.Tamilian brahmins have rituals where they invite only brahmacharis to partake of the offerings.A priest wears veshti according to whether one is a brahmachari (unmarried) or a grahastha,(married) at leastwhen he comes to officiate in vaidika rituals at home.

Why can't it be for regular use. Plenty of people use it for virtually everything. P.Chidambaram come to mind.

indeed it is for regular use. It is only the people who are letting it fall (!) into disuse.

Sadly, the new religion is America, and the new religious dress is the "pants."

This is a misconception. If you expose your skin to the sun, it will get very hot and you will sweat more than if you cover it with light weighted clothes. Just look for thin cotton pants. And I am not talking about the German sun

If you insist in wearing 3/4 pants or shorts: Buy trekking pants were you can unzip the lower parts before/after temple visits or at least fold and fix the lower part with a ribbon (I hope you know what I am talking about)

Regarding the Dhoti/Vesti discussion: I can imagine that you'll get so much attention like never before

Of course, the original question here is for the dress code while visiting temples, and 'veshti over pants' is precisely for the same.

Otherwise the veshti is still the preferred wear in many of the south Indian homes by men.It is an elegant dress....provided one knows how to wear it.Watch this......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUGje...eature=related

Men ever wear dhotis 'lungi' style, for free mobility, stitching the sides together to form a tube and having the pleats at the front.Quite determined.....eh....though not for maintaining
, at least to escape heat and humidity created by the unpleasant climate for trousers.


But for everyday practicality, where one had to go to work for far of places by bus, or otherwise, pants became the norms, enabling free movement.Of course am talking about people catching buses to go to work.The advent of convenience over tradition started.That's all.But during ceremonies, poojas and visiting temples, elders etc, men wear the traditional dress only.

Yes, if you want to be respectful, you must either wear long pants or go real cool and real local and wear a veshthi - a white dhoti, a white thin sarong like fabric you wrap around your waist. Also you may be asked to remove your shirt, which is also a sign of respect. SO shirtless in a veshthi, you should be cool as a cucumber and completely respectful. No shorts in temples, ever.

To a certain extent, temples in Tamil Nadu, do not have a specific dress code as in the temples in Kerala. Some only have a code on entry. Subject to entry not being an issue, even a shorts and T Shirts would never be objected. Okay, coming to the question of being respected, I personally feel, it is something earned rather than demanded, that being great humanitarian manners and respecting the local customs and treating them with elan. I personally go to a temple with a veshti and a shirt, not a collarless T Shirt.

Coming back to the question posted by the OP, I personally haven't seen any strict dress code enforced in most temples in Tamil Nadu. We are okay with anything subject to they being decent enough (this too is my personal opinion) as you would not have somebody stop you and say, you are dressed inappropriately to enter.