“At Prayagraj Hanumant Katha, Dhirendra Shastri Speaks on Faith, Identity and Sanatan Traditions Amid Dress Code Row”
By BK Singh
Amid the spiritual setting of a three-day Hanumant Katha in Prayagraj, a larger conversation unfolded — one that moved beyond devotion and into questions of identity, belief, and the place of tradition in modern life.
Addressing a gathering of devotees between April 21 and 23, Dhirendra Krishna Shastri spoke at length about what he described as the growing tension between institutional rules and individual expressions of faith.
His remarks were prompted by reports of a private eyewear company introducing a dress code that allegedly restricts employees from wearing visible religious symbols such as a tilak, sindoor, and mangalsutra.
For Shastri, the issue was not merely about workplace guidelines — it touched something deeper.
He framed it as a question of identity and dignity, particularly within the context of Hindu traditions.
In his address, he expressed concern that symbols which have long been part of everyday cultural and spiritual life were now being viewed as obstacles in professional spaces.
These symbols, he suggested, are not just ornaments or rituals, but visible expressions of belief that connect individuals to a larger civilizational ethos.
Speaking in an impassioned tone, he urged people to reflect on the broader implications. If visible markers of faith are gradually pushed out of public life, he asked, where does one draw the line?
Today it may be tilak or sindoor, he said, but tomorrow it could extend to scriptures, rituals, and the philosophical foundations of Sanatan Dharma itself.
At the heart of his message was a call for unity.
Drawing a metaphor from the Triveni Sangam — where three rivers merge in Prayagraj — Shastri appealed to society to rise above divisions of caste and community. Just as the rivers lose their individual identities to become one, he said, people too must come together to protect what they collectively value.
He also spoke about Sanatan Dharma not as a rigid structure, but as a living tradition — one that has endured for centuries because of its adaptability, inclusiveness, and deep philosophical roots.
Yet, he cautioned, adaptability should not come at the cost of erasing visible expressions of faith.
In his view, India’s strength lies in its diversity of belief and practice. But that diversity, he argued, must include the freedom to express one’s religious identity without hesitation or fear of exclusion.
His remarks also carried a note of warning. Without naming the company, he suggested that institutions should carefully reconsider policies that may be perceived as insensitive to cultural or religious sentiments.
At the same time, he emphasised that any response must remain within the framework of law and democratic values.
Throughout his discourse, the tone remained rooted in a broader philosophical idea — that faith is not confined to temples or rituals alone, but is woven into daily life, identity, and community.
As the Hanumant Katha continued, what lingered was not just the spiritual narrative, but a larger reflection: how does a society balance modern institutional norms with deeply held traditions? And in that balance, how can space be preserved for both progress and identity?
For many in attendance, Shastri’s words were less about confrontation and more about introspection — a reminder that in a country as layered as India, faith and modernity often walk side by side, sometimes in harmony, sometimes in tension, but always in dialogue.
