Pre-Wedding Photography Banned in Udupi Car Street Following Devotee Concerns
Udupi: The Sri Krishna Math administration has officially prohibited pre-wedding and post-wedding photo and video shoots within Udupi’s Car Street, a location of profound religious significance. This decision follows a rising number of complaints from devotees who expressed concern over what they perceived as inappropriate and disrespectful filming activities in the sacred area.
Car Street, situated in front of the ancient Sri Krishna, Anantheshwara, and Chandramouleshwara temples, serves as the central venue for numerous festivals, including the Rathotsava. It regularly hosts esteemed religious figures and dignitaries and is traditionally considered a space dedicated to devotion and reverence.
Gopal Acharya, representing the Puttige Math, underscored the spiritual importance of Ratha Beedi, the street encircling the temples. He stated that the recording of videos driven by personal creative vision within such a hallowed space constitutes a form of disrespect, diminishing the area’s inherent sanctity for personal gain. He further emphasized that recent pre-wedding shoots conducted during morning hours have caused undue inconvenience to devotees and, by extension, to the deities themselves.
In response to these growing concerns, Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji of the alternative Puttige Math has announced that video recordings deemed to be in conflict with the cultural and spiritual ethos of the area will henceforth be forbidden. This prohibition extends to Rathabeedi, the area in front of the chariot, within the Krishna Math itself, and in all other affiliated locations.
The decision aims to safeguard the sanctity and respect of Car Street, ensuring that it remains a dedicated space for devotion and spiritual contemplation, free from activities considered disruptive or disrespectful. The Sri Krishna Math administration intends to enforce the ban rigorously to preserve the cultural integrity of this important religious site.