In A First, No Entry Fee For Women Tourists At Konark Sun Temple Today

Bhubaneswar: The entry to Sun Temple in Odisha’s Konark will be free for all women tourists irrespective of their nationality on Sunday (March 8).

The reason: The Archaeological Survey of India has decided not to charge fees from women visitors to the centrally-protected ticketed monuments across the country on the occasion of International Women’s Day on Sunday.

These include Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, Taj Mahal, Sun Temple in Konark, Mamallapuram, Ellora caves, Khajuraho monuments, and the Ajanta caves.

For the first time, the Union Culture Ministry has also issued an order making the entry free for all women visiting monuments under the ASI across the country.

“In our country, women are worshipped from much before the International Women’s Day was conceived. In our culture, women have the status of goddesses since ancient times. This is a great initiative,” Culture Minister Prahlad Patel said.