Ban on smartphones in Tamil Nadu temples comes into effect; phones without cameras to be allowed
Tamil Nadu has implemented a ban on smartphones inside 52 major temples to ensure a serene atmosphere for worship, though non-camera phones remain permitted. The government has provided locker facilities for devotees to store their devices while visiting.
Why it matters
This reflects a growing trend of balancing modern technology usage with the preservation of traditional religious spaces and privacy.
The ban on the use of mobile phones inside the premises of 52 major temples across Tamil Nadu came into effect on Tuesday (September 1, 2026). Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Ramesh, in a statement, clarified that ordinary mobile phones without cameras would be allowed inside the temples.
Restrictions have been imposed on devotees carrying and using smartphones inside these 52 temples from September 1 based on the existing court directions and with the objective of ensuring a peaceful and serene atmosphere for devotees to worship, Mr. Ramesh said in a statement on Tuesday. Mobile phones are already prohibited in Palani, Tiruchendur, Madurai and Rameswaram temples, he noted.
Mr. Ramesh stated that this restriction has been introduced as incidents of devotees and visitors taking photographs and recording videos of the deities and idols inside the temples have been on the rise.
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