[Advaita-l] Lighting a Lamp during inauguration

[UH SUBRAMANYA]

Dear learned Members,
Can any one of the List Member  clarify the following?
Often most of the Functions whether Government or Corporate are inaugurated by lighting of Oil Lamps with wicks. The guests light the lamp with their shoes on ( They will be in Suit). I think  it is not right  and feel embarrassed to watch such events but cannot point out to those doing it to remove their foot wear before doing it. The Guests may be Ministers or Bureaucrats or some Senior Pundits also.
I would like to remind one scene where Mr. Amitab Bachan chanted "Gayathri Mantra" with shoes on  and this became a big issue, as it was treated as insult to our Hinduism. I have also read somewhere that it is not right to chant any Vedic Mantra with shoes on, let alone shirts on.
I have seen some Yoga Teachers also making the participants chant Gayathri Mantra or other Vedic Mantras during some sessions with their shoes on. I feel it should be forbidden.
Hence the Learned can  clarify whether the ritual is right or to be curbed though this is beyond Advaita practice.
Regards,
Subramanya UH
Bangalore
# 9341323940