Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple: Dress Code & Temple Rules

• Men must wear a mundu or dhoti around the waist reaching the ankles, with the upper body bare or covered only by an angavastram (shawl). Shirts, banians, pants and shorts are not allowed inside.
• Modern relaxation: the temple now generally permits wearing the mundu or dhoti over trousers or a churidar to spare devotees discomfort, but the wrap itself is mandatory.
• Women must wear a saree, a set-mundu (mundum neriyathum), or a long skirt and blouse; a half-saree or a mundu draped over a salwar is accepted.
• Strictly prohibited for everyone: jeans, leggings, T-shirts, tops, short or mid-length skirts, churidars worn on their own, and any bifurcated or short garment.
• Dhotis and wraps are available on rent or purchase at the temple entrance, so you can arrive and change there if needed.
• Entry is reserved for Hindus; footwear, cameras, mobile phones and electronics must be deposited outside, and photography inside the temple is not permitted.

Padmanabhaswamy enforces one of the strictest dress codes of any temple in India, and it is enforced at the door, not politely suggested. Men must wear a mundu or dhoti wrapped around the waist and falling to the ankles, with the upper body bare or draped only in an angavastram. No shirt, banian, T-shirt, trousers or shorts. In a practical concession the temple now generally allows the mundu or dhoti to be worn over trousers or a churidar, but the wrap is non-negotiable.

Women are expected in a saree, a traditional set-mundu (mundum neriyathum), or a long skirt with a blouse; a mundu or drape worn over a salwar is accepted. What is refused for everyone is anything short or bifurcated: jeans, leggings, tops, T-shirts, short and mid-length skirts, and standalone churidars. If you arrive underdressed you are simply turned back.

The good news is that dhotis and wraps are available to rent or buy right at the entrance, so an unprepared visitor can change on the spot. Note too that entry is reserved for Hindus, and footwear, phones, cameras and electronics must be left outside; photography inside is not permitted. Dress the temple's way and carry as little as possible.

Compiled from public sources including Kerala Tourism - Padmanabhaswamy dress code FAQ · Kerala Tourism - accommodation near the temple · The Cultural Heritage of India - festivals and rituals · The Cultural Heritage of India - Laksha Deepam. Timings and seasonal closures change; confirm with the temple trust before travelling.