Chennai, Aug 8 (IANS) Mobile phones will be completely prohibited in all major temples across Tamil Nadu from September 1 as part of a fresh set of measures introduced by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department to preserve the sanctity of places of worship and curb unauthorised photography and videography, government officials said on Saturday.
The department has also tightened guidelines governing visits by actors, actresses, political leaders and other prominent personalities, with temple administrations instructed to ensure that such visits do not inconvenience ordinary devotees or interfere with regular darshan.
The directives were issued following instructions from HR&CE Minister Ramesh.
Under the revised protocol, temple authorities must inform the HR&CE Commissioner Vinay at least a day before a scheduled visit by a VIP or prominent personality.
The communication should include the date and time of the visit as well as the number of people expected to accompany the visitor.
In cases where visits are planned at short notice, officials have been asked to immediately inform the department and make necessary arrangements without disrupting the normal movement of devotees.
Photography and videography will not be permitted within temple premises during VIP visits.
Officials have been specifically instructed to ensure that arrangements made for prominent visitors do not affect the sanctity of temples or restrict access for other worshippers.
The mobile-phone ban is intended to prevent visitors from photographing or filming deities and sanctum sanctorums and from creating reels and other videos inside temple complexes.
The HR&CE department said the restrictions were being implemented in accordance with existing court directions and instructions from the Minister.
Temple administrations have been given 20 days to establish secure facilities where devotees can deposit their mobile phones before entering.
Notices explaining the restriction must be prominently displayed at entrances and other important locations.
Devotees will be required to hand over their phones at designated counters and collect them after completing darshan.
A charge of Rs 5 will be levied for each phone deposited, with receipts generated through the department’s Integrated Temple Management System (ITMS).
Volunteers or other designated personnel will operate the deposit counters, while CCTV cameras will be used to monitor the facilities and ensure the security of devices.
HR&CE officials have also been directed to take appropriate action against anyone engaging in unauthorised photography or videography and to strictly enforce the new regulations across major temples.
–IANS
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