New Delhi: The Railways announced that it will change the saffron uniforms worn by waiters on the Ramayan Express, after a section of Hindu sadhus protested against the clothing choice saying that it insulted Hindu religion.
The decision came on the same day when sadhus threatened to stop the train in Delhi’s Safdarjung railway station on December 12 if the uniform was not withdrawn.
A Railway Board official told The Indian Express that it decided to not stoke controversy and “change the uniform to what is acceptable.”
The ‘Ramayan’ circuit train began its 17-day journey from the Safdarjung railway station on November 7, and will visit 15 places associated with the life of Ram.
Covering a distance of more than 7,500 km, the train will take the pilgrims to places such as Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Nandigram, Janakpur, Chitrakoot, Sitamarhi, Nashik, Hampi and Rameshwaram.
The Ramayan Express has restaurants, a library and shower cubicles.
“Donning saffron attire with sadhu-like headgear and wearing ‘malas’ (necklaces) of ‘rudraksha’ (sacred seeds) is an insult to Hindu religion and its seers,” Ujjain Akhada Parishad’s former general secretary Avdeshpuri told PTI.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), in a reply to a media outlet which ran the PTI report, said, “It is to inform that the dress of service staff is completely changed in the look of professional attire of service staff.”
— IRCTC (@IRCTCofficial) November 22, 2021
Reacting to the IRCTC announcement, Avdeshpuri told PTI, “It is a victory of (Hindu) religion and ‘sanskriti’ (culture)”. He said that it was his duty to raise the issue.
Ujjain city, where the Shiva shrine Shree Mahakaleshwar temple is located, hosts the Simhastha Kumbh Mela every 12 years.
(With PTI inputs)