Temple traditions disrespected: Christain man deliberately enters 11th-century Lingaraj Temple where entry of non-Hindus is strictly prohibited
Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India 
22 May, 2025
Case Summary
At the Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, a Christian man named Vasilache Andrei-Cristian entered the temple premises, deliberately breaking the temple's rules. The Lingaraj Temple is an 11th-century shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, where entry of non-Hindus is prohibited, and it is displayed on the signboard at its entrance. According to sources, a 48-year-old Romanian tourist was seen moving around the temple premises and taking pictures, which raised suspicions among temple authorities. Following this, a purification ritual was performed in the temple, and the ‘abhada’ (food/prasad) prepared for Lord Lingaraj, worth thousands of rupees, was discarded. The accused was released after interrogation.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of: - Attack in Hindu religious representations. Within it, the sub-category selected is: - Breaking rules of place of worship. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. One of these oral traditions or written traditions is the rules of specific temples. Certain temples have rules which are traditional rules, dependent on the worship of the presiding deities. These rules and traditions have been followed for thousands of years whether they find scriptural mention or not. Such traditions are based on the nature and rules of worship of the presiding deity of that temple. Any non-compliance of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the presiding deity but also disregard for the faith of the devotees of that deity/temple and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition and the deity itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific temple and presiding deity, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. This case has been added to the tracker because a Christian man deliberately entered a Hindu temple where the entry of non-Hindus is explicitly prohibited. In Sanatan Dharma, while many temples and spaces are open to people from all religions, there are certain parts of a temple, or even entire temples, that are strictly reserved only for practising Hindus. These rules are not arbitrary but deeply embedded in historical and cultural roots that go back centuries. India is a hub for religious tourism where hundreds of people from different religions come to visit the beauty of the Sanatan dharma. At the same time, one must also respect the rules of a particular temple/place of worship. There are several Hindu temples that restrict entry to Hindus only, for example, the Jagannath Puri temple in Odisha. This practice of restricting entry to non-Hindus dates back centuries and is deeply ingrained in the temple's customs and traditions. In fact, the restriction is followed so strictly that even a Gajapati King was not allowed to enter the temple since he was married to a Mughal soldier’s daughter. Likewise, the 11th-century Lingaraj Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, also allows entry to Hindus only. This Hindus-only rule at Lingaraj Temple is not a recent or arbitrary decision. It is deeply embedded in ritual tradition, cultural history, and religious sentiment that has been respected and preserved for over a millennium. Despite knowing this fact, if a non-Hindu tries to enter the temple, it is nothing but a deliberate attempt to provoke the Hindu worshippers. Although there are hundreds of temples where entry of non-Hindus is not prohibited, the accused deliberately chose one of those temples where entry is explicitly prohibited. This act not only demonstrates his disregard for Hindu religious customs and traditions of the Lingaraj Temple but also shows a broader lack of respect for the deeply held beliefs of its devotees. Such actions, particularly when the rules are clearly communicated, are an insult to the Hindu religious sentiments and a violation of the sanctity of the temple, making it a kind of religious harassment worthy of being listed in the hate tracker.
Case Status
Perpatrator released by Police
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
