Bhubaneswar: Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty’s recent visit to Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar has ignited controversy after photos and videos taken in restricted areas went viral on social media. After Shilpa shared images from inside the temple, people across the state reacted to it questioning the temple policies on photography and access which is prohibited.
The images showed Shilpa standing inside the temple and conversing with Rajkishore, the head servitor, who was sharing insights on the temple’s history. However, questions arose about how these photos and videos were taken in areas where photography is typically prohibited without prior temple administration permission. The incident has led many to question whether different rules apply to celebrities compared to regular visitors.
According to sources, Shilpa Shetty was in Bhubaneswar to inaugurate a jewelry showroom and visited the temple afterward.
Birendra Sahoo, an entrepreneur, said, why are rules different for us and celebrities? "It has been clearly mentioned outside the temple that photography is barred. How do then celebrities manage to click photos and even dare to share," he questioned.
Reacting to the incident, Bhubaneswar Ekamra legislator Babu Singh said, actors may not be in the know of rules and regulations, but the servitors should not encourage such practices. "The matter needs to be investigated and the servitor at fault must be questioned. No one has the right to play with devotees' sentiments," he said. Blaming the temple administration for the lapse, the legislator stated that such instances should not recur. "Rules are applicable during the President and Prime Minister visits, so how can we throw guidelines to the wind in case of celebrities. The people responsible for this must be punished," he assertively stated.
Earlier, in 2018, Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon had also courted controversy for her photo shoot for an ad inside the Lingaraj temple premises. After a lot of backlash, the temple administration had assured action against those found guilty of allowing the shoot. The 11th century Shiva temple prohibits use of mobile phones on temple premises, though the sevayats or servitors are allowed to carry theirs. The incident had created furore among devotees who questioned the laxity in security system of the temple. The three minute video clip was shot on a mobile phone where the actor was seen sharing some beauty tips.
In February 2024, a digital creator had clicked photographs from inside the Puri Jagannath temple premises which had raised similar discontentment among the devotees. Photograph is not permitted inside the Srimandir in Puri.
