&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "No selfies with God, no reels inside: Tamil Nadu CM bans smartphones in temples | Gravitas")
Heading to a temple in Tamil Nadu with a smartphone? Think twice from now on. The Vijay-led government has banned carrying smartphones inside 52 major temples in the state, with the restriction coming into effect from today.
The restriction was announced by Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister S Ramesh, in line with a 2022 Madras High Court order.
The government has also barred devotees from taking photographs of deities and recording rituals inside temple premises.
Explaining the rationale behind the move, the minister said, "This restriction has been introduced as incidents of Devotees and visitors taking photographs, and recording videos of the deities and Idols inside various temples have been occurring repeatedly".
Under Tamil Nadu's new rules, devotees carrying smartphones in the 52 designated temples will have to deposit them at dedicated counters set up at the entrance.
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They will have to pay ₹5 per deposited phone. An acknowledgement slip or a plastic token will also be issued to devotees, which they must produce while collecting their phones back.
However, phones without cameras can be taken inside the temples.
The Tamil Nadu government's decision is based on a 2022 Madras High Court order. The petitioner had alleged that cellphone use affects the purity of the deity and could endanger the security of temples and their valuables.
In its ruling, the High Court observed that authorities have a responsibility to maintain the decorum and sanctity of temples. The court also noted that phone use could divert the attention of devotees.
Finding merit in the petition, the court directed the government to implement a statewide ban on phones across Tamil Nadu.
The Tamil Nadu government's move has drawn mixed reactions.
According to reports, some people said the restriction would help maintain a peaceful atmosphere inside temples. Others, however, raised concerns about the security of smartphones deposited with temple authorities and the possibility of long queues at the counters.
Mobile phones are also not allowed inside key temples such as Tirupati and Kashi Vishwanath.
