The temple at Sabarimala in Kerala is dedicated to the forest deity Ayyapa and is visited by nearly 50 million people during the autumn pilgrimage season.

As a result, the temple receives huge amounts of donated cash, as well as gold, silver and diamond jewellery.

For some of those working as money counters ten years ago, temptation proved too great and several thefts occurred.

The temple's management then instituted a policy that money counters could only wear a dhoti (a type of sarong) and nothing else, in the belief that this would deter thieves.

But the policy has caused misery for those innocent of any crime -- and now a petition filed with Kerala State Human Rights Commission has resulted in censure for the temple.

“Those engaged in counting were silently suffering the insult because of the misdeeds of a few,” said G. Baiju, general secretary of Travancore Devaswom Employees’ Front (TDEF), which filed the petition before the commission.

"We are made to wear only a mundu (dhoti) and perhaps a second one, a randaam mundu, but were often made to strip on the demand of security guards."

"This has been causing us mental agony."

Employees on their way out were also scrutinised by security guards.

"The employees on duty are made to strip before an officer before leaving the office to ensure that they do not carry anything in their underwear," said Chavara Gopakumar of TDEF.

"It is humiliating and an insult to human dignity."

The temple's management have now agreed to end the practice, and are now looking into installation of modern surveillance systems.

It is now hoped that the Government will set up a trust to better manage the affairs of the temple -- and prevent controversies like the underwear ban from occuring again.