A hue and cry has been raised about denying entry to a judge into a club in Chennai, reportedly because he was wearing a Dhothi, the traditional dress of South India.
Of late the 'dress code' is more in the news due to its insistence and also when it involves some high profiles.
An instance of an invited guest speaker being turned away from a city college was also reported sometime back, when he was found not complying with the dress code of the College. At that time , the invitee raised a question whether such codes are applicable to the guest too!
When my friend visited a city college where his ward was studying, he was denied entry as his attire was not in conformity with dress code of the college! Here, the anguished parent quipped whether the dress code is meant for students or visitors too.
Every place has a right to be bound by the rules of the land and the owner of the particular piece of real estate cannot be blamed for insisting on his expectations at his place. But then, its also in line with the expected discipline and etiquette that the hosts apprise the guest on the expectations upfront, to avoid untoward embarrassments and avoidable blushes.
This particular incident, analysed on the following lines, could provide more clarity on the intent :
1. Was any dress code prescribed in the invitation extended for the occasion?
2. Did the invitee choose to ignore the code despite the same being advised sufficiently in advance ?
I feel a case is being made out that ' Dhothi, the traditional dress of the state is being disrespected'. It needs to be probed whether he was denied entry due to the wearing of a Dhothi as is made out to be or not adhering to the prescribed dress code. I feel there is room for mischief here, which could be exploited for sensationalism.
I find nothing wrong or unusual in prescribing a dress code and also the invitee deciding on complying with it.
In Amritsar, when I visited the Golden temple, I was asked to cover my head with a piece of cloth given and I had to yield.
In Guruvayur temple no one is allowed with a shirt on and when a serving President of India was reluctant, he politely refrained from a visit, thus skirting an avoidable embarrassment.
A Chennai city popular club also denied entry to a guest of the member, when the guest was wearing a collar less tee shirt, which was prohibited there!
It is for the host to make it abundantly clear sans ambiguity the rules of the event, premises and occasion so that there is no confusion and last minute sensation of a 'denial of admission'. The guest may choose to adhere to the norms or skip the invitation.
I cannot escape nursing a thought whether the same hue and cry would have been raised, if the person involved was an ordinary citizen without a high profile!
Of late the 'dress code' is more in the news due to its insistence and also when it involves some high profiles.
An instance of an invited guest speaker being turned away from a city college was also reported sometime back, when he was found not complying with the dress code of the College. At that time , the invitee raised a question whether such codes are applicable to the guest too!
When my friend visited a city college where his ward was studying, he was denied entry as his attire was not in conformity with dress code of the college! Here, the anguished parent quipped whether the dress code is meant for students or visitors too.
Every place has a right to be bound by the rules of the land and the owner of the particular piece of real estate cannot be blamed for insisting on his expectations at his place. But then, its also in line with the expected discipline and etiquette that the hosts apprise the guest on the expectations upfront, to avoid untoward embarrassments and avoidable blushes.
This particular incident, analysed on the following lines, could provide more clarity on the intent :
1. Was any dress code prescribed in the invitation extended for the occasion?
2. Did the invitee choose to ignore the code despite the same being advised sufficiently in advance ?
I feel a case is being made out that ' Dhothi, the traditional dress of the state is being disrespected'. It needs to be probed whether he was denied entry due to the wearing of a Dhothi as is made out to be or not adhering to the prescribed dress code. I feel there is room for mischief here, which could be exploited for sensationalism.
I find nothing wrong or unusual in prescribing a dress code and also the invitee deciding on complying with it.
In Amritsar, when I visited the Golden temple, I was asked to cover my head with a piece of cloth given and I had to yield.
In Guruvayur temple no one is allowed with a shirt on and when a serving President of India was reluctant, he politely refrained from a visit, thus skirting an avoidable embarrassment.
A Chennai city popular club also denied entry to a guest of the member, when the guest was wearing a collar less tee shirt, which was prohibited there!
It is for the host to make it abundantly clear sans ambiguity the rules of the event, premises and occasion so that there is no confusion and last minute sensation of a 'denial of admission'. The guest may choose to adhere to the norms or skip the invitation.
I cannot escape nursing a thought whether the same hue and cry would have been raised, if the person involved was an ordinary citizen without a high profile!
