TN Temples to Ban Mobile Phones Inside Premises from September 1

Devotees visiting major temples across Tamil Nadu will be required to deposit their mobile phones at designated counters before entering temple premises starting from September 1. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department has issued directives instructing temple authorities to manage the safe custody and return of all deposited devices.

The policy is aimed at preserving the sanctity of temple environments and stopping photography, videography, and the filming of social media reels inside temple grounds. Temple administrations have been instructed to assign employees or volunteers to oversee the collection, storage, and return of devices, alongside keeping systematic records of all transactions.

Visitors will be charged a fee of ₹5 per phone, for which a receipt will be issued at the counter. Temple staff members have also received instructions to actively prevent any unauthorised recordings across the premises. Any photography or videography involving dignitaries and VIPs will require prior permission from temple authorities.

In addition to the mobile phone regulations, HR&CE Minister C Ramesh addressed temple administration matters during the question hour in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday. The minister stated that the state government is actively studying queue management systems at major temples to improve the flow of visitors.

Minister Ramesh noted that a revamp of entry and exit routes across major temples is currently being planned. The proposed layout changes are intended to ease overcrowding and ensure that devotees can complete darshan without obstruction.

The minister also informed the assembly that initial preparations have begun for the 2028 Mahamaham festival in Kumbakonam. A preliminary review meeting involving officials from various government departments has already been conducted under the supervision of the district collector.