Dress Code for Tamil Nadu's temples

What's the dress code for females? Is a top and long skirt okay? Or must one wear a salwar kurta? Sorry if this has been discussed somewhere: I just couldn't find it.

Should be fine but carry a stroll or a thuppata along, which might help, if there are any restrictions.

Thanks a lot, BVS!

I only know Madurai temple but they are very strict - long means long! My husband was in cut-offs and was not allowed in. He had to buy a lungi and wear it over his pants! Of course you could always just wear a lungi which would keep you cool!

Please buy and wear a vesti rather than a lunghi

Lunghi: coloured, informal, worn in the house, or outdoors by working guys. Not "Sunday best."

Vesti: more formal, plain white (or religious colour, eg black, saffron, etc, if appropriate) with a single coloured stripe. This, tied either in the simple wrap-around way, or the more complex, between-the-legs dhoti way, is what you will see the priests wearing.

Yes.. Lungi is a kind of inside house wear and a mark of disrespect, if elders are around. Vestis are plain coloured and not stitched with / without a jeri/border. Generally in lungis, the corners are stitched together. While I have not seen hard and fast rules on permission of lungis into temple, it is always better to be avoided.

Would it be acceptable if I wear salwar pants with long top & sleeves? I think I should wear long sleeves? Should I cover my head?

Yes.

No. A good yardstick (six-yardstick? ) is to remember that the tradition dress here is the sari.

No. Maybe for mosques, but not for temples, or even churches.

Oh yes, till recently women wearing even salwaar-suits and churidars were not allowed inside most of the Kerala temples. Men had to be topless with mundu worn the Kerala way (tucked in the right side). Mundu has to be plain in white, saffron, dark blue or black (the latter two especially for Sabarimala pilgrims).

Muslims tuck on the left; Hindus and Christians and Hindus on the right. I'm always being told I'm wrong to tuck on the right, but Tamil Nadu makes no such difference, leaving it to personal preference.

It ( this left tying thingy) is only a personal exemption to Nick-H, we discussed this in the secret indian meeting a few days ago...

If you wear veshti in a simple fashion, you are supposed to not fold it halfway when inside the temple.

@spindrift : covering head is something i noticed north indians women do. They ( the north indian women) do this even in the south, no ban or requirement.

Gurudwaras (sikh temples) make it mandatory for both men and women to cover their heads. Some muslim shrines (dargahs ) also require this.

In fact, south indian temples require the men to not have caps, hats etc on their heads. Only gods get shade, the believers just have to suffer through.

What, up to the knee? Definately not indeed: one should not do that in the presence of elders, etc. I suppose gods count as an "etc!"