Chief Minister C. The Joseph Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government has banned smartphones from entering 52 major temples across the state. According to information, this ban on smartphones in temples has come into effect from Tuesday. However, non-camera phones will be allowed inside the temple premises. News agency ANI quoted the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department as saying that under the new rules, devotees owning smartphones will have to deposit them at a designated counter at the temple entrance and pay Rs 5 per phone.
HR&CE Minister S. Ramesh had earlier announced in the assembly that ban on smartphones will be implemented in major temples from September 1. On Tuesday, he said that the decision has been taken with the aim of ensuring a peaceful and serene environment for the devotees, as reported by ANI. According to the department, more devotees and visitors are using smartphones to take photos and videos of deities and idols inside the temples, with some even taking selfies and making short videos and reels for social media. The department said these activities disturb the spiritual atmosphere of temples and disturb other devotees. The minister also said that mobile phones are already banned in several major temples including Palani, Tiruchendur, Madurai and Rameswaram.
Devotees with smartphones will have to deposit their phones at counters set up in 52 temples and pay a fee of ₹5 per phone. They will get a token or receipt, which will have to be shown later to pick up the phone. The staff will check the phone number and other details before returning the phone. At the Devarajaswamy-Athi Vardar temple in Kanchipuram, staff are also recording the devotee’s photo, phone model and number. Such counters have also been installed in other temples, including the Arunachaleshwar temple in Tiruvannamalai.
The HR&CE department said that the ₹5 fee is not being taken as a source of revenue. According to a report in The Hindu, S. Ramesh said the money would be used to meet the cost of running the phone-deposit system. This includes hiring dedicated staff and spending on security lockers and other infrastructure in 52 temples.