At least 2,000 wedding functions will now have to be cancelled, the head of an association of marriage halls in Allahabad estimated
Lucknow: Yogi Adityanath’s administration has allowed a pilgrimage to interfere with people’s private lives, ordering hotels and marriage halls in Allahabad city to cancel all bookings for weddings during the Ardh Kumbh Mela days earmarked for bathing in the Ganga.
At least 2,000 wedding functions will now have to be cancelled, the head of an association of marriage halls in Allahabad estimated, asking not to be identified.
“Many of these families had booked the halls a year ago. I don’t know how they will handle the situation, and how we’ll bear the blow of having to refund the advance they paid,” he said.
“A fifth of these weddings are Muslim marriages,” he added.
The Ardh Kumbh is scheduled from January 14 to March 4, with the holy dips earmarked for Makar Sankranti (January 14-15), Paush Purnima (January 21), Mauni Amavasya (February 4), Basant Panchami (February 10), Maghi Purnima (February 19) and Maha Shivaratri (March 4).
According to the order from the district administration, no hotels or community halls can host weddings on the days of the holy bath and the day before and after. Since one of the six holy dips is spread over a two-day window, altogether 19 days of bookings must be cancelled.
Being auspicious days, these dates coincide heavily with weddings. In Uttar Pradesh, most weddings are held in community halls and hotels.
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