New dress code and phone policy for priests at Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh

A new dress code and phone policy have been implemented for the priests at Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh, effective from July 22. The Ram Mandir Trust announced that priests will now wear white dhotis and yellow chaubandi (kurta), which will be provided by the trust. Additionally, the use of Android phones within the temple premises has been banned. Instead, the 25 priests worshiping Ramlala will use keypad phones issued by the trust, with their Android phones stored in a dedicated locker room. The General Secretary of the Ram Mandir Trust, Champat Rai, emphasized that "photography and video recording are strictly prohibited in the temple."

The trust has also introduced a roster for worship and service duties, detailing the specific roles and shifts for each priest. Priests assigned to the sanctum sanctorum will work eight to ten-hour shifts, while those in other worship areas will have four to six-hour shifts. This new arrangement, including the dress code and phone policy, was discussed in a meeting led by Champat Rai with the new priests to ensure compliance with the temple's code of conduct. Premchandra Tripathi, a priest at Ram Mandir, confirmed the implementation of these new measures.