india

Updated: Jul 02, 2019 08:48 IST

District magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma on Monday clarified that there was no dress code for visitors at Bada Imambada, nor was there any compulsion to cover one’s head.

“People are free to come in whatever attire they want to and there is no compulsion on visitors to cover their head. Guards or any other employee at the historic structure have no right to deny entry to people for not covering their head,” states the clarification issue by Sharma.

The clarification came in response to Sharma’s alleged statement recently, saying vulgarity would not be allowed at Bada Imambada — a centrally protected structure that serves as a shrine for Shia Muslims.

Besides, the district magistrate had also imposed a ban on ‘illegal’ photo and video shoots to honour the religious sanctity of the over-220-year-old architectural marvel that was constructed by Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah.

Sharma said his earlier statement was misinterpreted.

“I meant that since it’s a religious place, visitors should be dressed in a decent way so that it may not hurt ones religious sentiments. However, there is no dress code for visitors at Bada Imambada. They are free to come in any attire they want,” said Sharma, who heads Hussainabad and Allied Trust (HAT) that is the custodian of the Bada Imambada.

Sharma further said that a notice regarding the same would be displayed at the entry of iconic structure.

However, he said the ban on ‘illegal’ photo and video shoots at the heritage structure stood. “No professional photography or video shoot would be allowed on the premises of Bada Imambada without obtaining prior permission from HAT,” he said.

On May 6, Shia clerics and city’s heritage enthusiasts had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding a check on pre- and post-wedding shoots at Bada Imambara.

Besides, they demanded a ban on misuse of the structure.

Their reaction came after some pictures of a pre-wedding shoot at the structure went viral on internet.

On Facebook, a majority of people termed the shoot obscene and ‘un-Islamic’ and demanded that such shoots be banned at religious places like Bara Imambada.