After objections, Indian Railways changes saffron uniform of Ramayana Express staff

The uniforms of serving staff aboard Ramayana Express have been changed to shirts and trousers and traditional headgear.

On Monday, the saffron uniform of serving staff aboard Indian Railways’ Ramayana Express train was changed following objections from Hindu seers against their outfits. Hindu seers from the city of Ujjain had called the saffron uniform of Ramayana Express train staff an insult to the Hindu religion. They also threatened to block the train in Delhi on December 12 if the uniform was not changed, according to an IE report. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), which runs the Ramayana Express train, in a statement informed that the dress of service staff is completely changed in the look of professional attire of service staff. Any inconvenience caused is regretted, the corporation added.

According to the report, the uniforms of serving staff aboard Ramayana Express have been changed to shirts and trousers and traditional headgear. However, the waiters will wear saffron coloured masks and gloves. Former general secretary of Ujjain Akhada Parishad, Avdeshpuri was quoted in the report saying that donning a saffron attire with a sadhu-like headgear as well as wearing rudraksha malas is an insult to the Hindu religion and its seers. If the saffron dress code of the waiters was not changed, seers will stop the train at Delhi’s Safdarjung railway station, he said.

On 7 November 2021, the first Ramayana circuit train departed from Delhi’s Safdarjung railway station with as many as 132 tourists on board. Under this IRCTC tour package, the “Dekho Apna Desh” Deluxe AC Tourist Train will take tourists to visit crucial places in India related to the life of Lord Ram like Chitrakoot, Ayodhya, Sitamarhi, etc. in a span of 17 days. The IRCTC tour package of Ramanyana Circuit is available for 16 Nights/17 Days from 7 November 2021 to 12 December 2021. The air-conditioned tourist train will take passengers to Delhi, Ayodhya, Nasik, Janakpur, Varanasi, Prayag, Sitamarhi, Chitrakoot, Rameshwaramand Hampi.