Video / Photos ~ Shirdi Mulls Dress Code for Devotees for Sai Baba's Darshan

[rOhit beHaL]

- DRESS CODE FOR DEVOTEES AT SHIRDI FOR BABA'S DARSHAN ? -
Wednesday 16th June`2010

They say there is not a single devotee in the World who has returned empty handed from Shirdi.
Be it the Wealthy or the Poor, Baba has never refused anyone.
Be it any problem, no matter how big the difficulty may be, just one darshan of Baba removes all miseries for ever.
So, devotees come to Shirdi not only from India but from all over the World.
But, soon the rules for Darshan are going to change as the Shirdi Sansthan may implement a Dress Code for Darshan at the Shirdi Temple.
Devotees, especially the Females would be barred from having Baba's darshan if they enter the Temple wearing
Shorts, Minis, Sleeveless Tops, Bermudas, Jeans and other Western outfit's. In fact, exposure of body would be prohibited.

As per the Dress Code, the Dress worn by devotees should be of a decent outfit,
like Saree's/Ladies full Suits for Women.

This decision was taken by the Sansthan following complaints from many a devotees,
who felt that Baba lived with Simplicity and so everyone should be appropriately dressed,
when in the Samadhi Shrine, for Baba's Darshan, so as to protect the Sanctity of the Temple.

The attire problem arises when some celebrities, rich devotees or foreigners visit the temple dressed inappropriately.
According to Sansthan Trustee Sri.Ashok Khambekar, Shirdi has become an Internationally recognized Pilgrimage
and so like other temple's, a Dress Code should be implemented in Shirdi also.
The Dress Code will be implemented after a final decision is taken by the Sansthan in its next Trust Board Meeting.

What remains to be seen is what options does the Sansthan give to those foreigners
for whom western outfits are their normal life style of dressing.

It has to be noted, that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams which manages the famed Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati,
is also planning to implement a new Dress Code, in the next 3 months for pilgrims coming for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara.
As of now, Tirupati has a dress code of Dhoti/Pyjamas for men and
Saree/Pyjamas for women during rituals like Suprabhatam, Thomala, Archana and Kalyanotsavam.





~~ VIDEOS ~~

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kEChkUEqoc[/youtube]


~~ Telugu ~~

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4fg8pfDKgw[/youtube]




























Source - http://www.youtube.com/user/aajtaktv









“ The Body is the Shell of the Soul.
Dress the Husk of that Shell, but the Husk often tells what the Kernel is ”......anOnymOus


 rOhit beHaL

[drashta]

Om Sai Baba.

Cover the body from head to toe, yet we remain absolutely naked in front of the Master. Nothing is hidden from our Sai, the creator and the mother. If this dress code is to prevent ogling by men, let us recall the following story:

Two sadhus were walking by the riverside. Suddenly, they heard shouts of a woman bathing in the river, who was now drowning. One of the sadhus quickly jumped into the river and brought the semi-clad woman to the shore safely. After the woman was thus rescued, the two sadhus started walking towards their destination again. After a while, the other sadhu asked the one who had rescued the drowning woman as to how could he even touch a naked woman, since they were brahmacharis. The other sadhu replied in these meaningful words: "I carried the naked woman from the river to the bank and left her there. You are still carrying her in your mind"  .

There was a woman saint in Kashmir who used to roam around naked. She was so possessed by the thought of God that she lost consciousness of her body. So is true of countless other saints who don't care about covering the outer shell of their souls.  

The trustees of these temples need to understand that there is no east or west for god. All dresses are same to the Master who looks at the heart and spirit of the devotees, not their dresses. By imposing such a dress code, Sai Sanasthan may turn Sai path into an institutionalized, orthodox religion. Anyway, if that is the will of the Master so it be. I just felt like submitting my humble thoughts at Baba's lotus feet.

Om Sai Baba.

[drashta]

Om Sai Baba.

The dress code issue needs a careful deliberation by the Sai Sansthan. Inspired by the Master, I just can not stop thinking about this issue:

Baba was/is a liberal Master, far removed from the conservative ideologies of the institutionalized religions. His domain of work is spirit/soul, and He is least interested in the superficial state of bodies of His devotees. Leave aside the dresses they wear.

As I understand it, this dress code is clearly for the women devotees. Thus, a clear deviation from the ideals of the Master. As a perfect celibate, Baba looked at women as His mothers and sisters. A son or a brother would not really care what the mother or sister wore in his presence.

Historically, when religions get more and more conservative, the first casualty invariably was the freedom of choice of women. A liberal path of Sai will get conservative through such rules and regulations imposed mainly on women.

The 'appropriateness' of dress is a relative one. If I remember correctly, the priests of Samadhi temple wear no shirts, and keep their upper bodies exposed. I wonder if this dress code would be imposed on them as well.

May Baba help the trustees of Sansthan in making the right decisions. I would not like to see Sai path turn into a conservative religion. The beauty of this path lies in its liberalism. Take that away, and you are left with a hollow religion headed by a group of oppressive priests.

What a devotee wants to wear in Sai's darbar is a personal choice. It depends on the relationship of the devotee with Baba, and the level of comfort the devotee shares with the Holy Father. If the menfolk in the durbar cannot keep their gaze fixed on Baba, but on the dresses women wear, that indeed shows their weakness/failing.

If anything I wrote here makes any Sai brother or sister unhappy, I seek your forgiveness. Personally, I wear  salwaar kameez when I visit Shirdi. So, I am not making a personal case here.

Om Sai Baba.

[drashta]

Om Sai Baba.

Dear Sai Bandhus,

Baba taught me a very important lesson today. He made me realize that my feminist/liberal/honest views are not always the best in His eyes. He made me remember one of His teachings in His own way: "He, who carps and cavils at others, pierces Me in the heart, and injures me; but he who suffers and endures, pleases Me the most". Whenever I expressed my views on equality and fairness on this forum, I am sure that Baba must have been pretty unhappy with me. When I reflected on these lines, Baba made me aware that I must have hurt some Bandhus on this forum by writing frankly and openly from time to time. Frankness is good, but not always in the view of the Master.

Keeping this lesson in mind, I extend my sincere apologies to Rohit ji, Moosa ji, Adwaita ji, Vishwanath ji, Dipika ji, Ramesh ji, and any other devotee who may have felt bad by my honest opinions in the past. Though my intention has always been good, my analytical posts could have hurt Baba. I seek His forgiveness from the bottom of my heart. I'll refrain from writing for some time, as a token of my repentance. May Sai bless all.

Om Sai Baba.