Devotees clad in "skimpy western dress" and shorts will not be allowed to enter Goddess Kalika temple in Ratlam city of Madhya Pradesh, its priest said.

"Devotees dressed in western and skimpy attire and shorts (half pants) won't be allowed to enter the temple to protect its sanctity," priest Rajendra Sharma told PTI.

Several plaques mentioning the type of banned clothes are put up around this four-century-old temple.

"Any devotee clad in indecent dress won't be allowed to enter the temple or the sanctum sanatorium," Sharma said, adding that such devotees can have a darshan from outside.

The temple is looked after by the Ratlam district administration under the Court of Wards Act.

"I have learnt the temple management committee's decision to ban the western outfits," tehsildar Rishabh Thakur said.

Sharma claimed King Ratan Singh, who carved Ratlam, had built this temple 400 years ago and consecrated the clan goddess.

Welcoming the decision, a devotee said the western attire is an attack on India's rich culture and Sanatan dharma.

Besides the reigning deity, idols of Maa Chamunda and Maa Annapurna are also consecrated in the temple, frequent by a huge number of devotees from Ratlam and elsewhere.

A garba festival is organised on the temple premises during Navratri.

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