Tamil Nadu Bans Smartphones in 52 Major Temples
· India · The Hindu, India Today
The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department has officially prohibited the use of smartphones inside 52 major temples across the state as of September 1, 2026. Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Ramesh stated that the restriction aims to maintain a peaceful, serene environment for devotees. The measure was introduced following an increase in incidents involving visitors recording videos and taking photographs of deities and idols. While smartphones are banned, ordinary mobile phones without cameras remain permitted within temple premises. To facilitate the policy, the department has installed locker facilities at temple entrances where visitors can deposit their devices for a fee of ₹5.
Why it matters
The policy directly impacts millions of visitors to major pilgrimage sites in Tamil Nadu by restricting their ability to carry personal technology, while creating a new operational requirement for temple management to secure deposited devices.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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