Now Goa church wants western tourists to cover up

A week after Hindu temples in Goa imposed a ban on scantily clad western tourists, one of the area’s main churches is now also considering implementing a dress code.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus was built in the 16th century by the Portuguese and attracts hordes of tourists each year, many from western countries.

Fr Savio Barretto told IANS that the church had tried to redress the situation by hiring someone to remind tourists in beachwear to cover up, but it had not worked.

He said tourists showed “scant respect” for the fact that they were in a place of worship and that it was offensive to locals who come to the cathedral to pray.

“It’s unbelievable the amount of chaos the tourists indulge in sometimes,” he said.

“Often they are not adequately dressed for a religious place.

“They shout, take pictures and behave inappropriately. It is time to start and implement a strict code of conduct for them.”

He added that the church was going to put up notices to stop tourists from taking photos, traditionally considered impolite in a place of worship.

Most tourists to Goa are Brits attracted by the appealing climate and natural beauty, but they have also built up a reputation for boozing and hedonistic behaviour.

Hindu temples moved last week to restrict access to foreign tourists amid complaints of couples smooching and girls coming to visit dressed in see-through tops and bikinis.

Mahalsa Narayani Temple committee president, Vinod Vaikunth Kamat said: “We have witnessed women, mostly foreigners, dressed very scantily, exposing much of their bodies, which is not acceptable to us, so we are forced to impose restrictions on their entry.

“There were some incidents where these foreign tourists were seen kissing on temple premises and dumping garlands.

“It’s not just temples, some churches in Goa are also facing these issues.”