Starting Sunday, all meat, fish, and poultry shops in Varanasi will remain closed throughout the Chaitra Navratri festival. This decision, a first for the temple town, was made during a meeting of the Varanasi Municipal Corporation’s executive committee on Thursday, chaired by Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari.
Navratri is expected to begin on Monday, and the closure of these shops will continue for the duration of the festival. Mayor Tiwari emphasised that the order must be strictly followed. "The proposal to close meat shops during Navratri has been approved, and it will be enforced rigorously," he said.
He further added, "Muslims should understand that for Hindus, Navratri is a sacred time. So, for at least these nine days, the closure should be respected. No one stops them for the remaining 360 days."
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Tiwari also highlighted Varanasi’s importance as a "religious and cultural capital," with nearly two lakh pilgrims visiting daily. He stated, “This tradition should be followed, but it should not be seen as something forced."
The idea to close meat shops during Navratri was proposed by executive committee member Madan Mohan Dubey. Additionally, the executive committee decided to impose a ban on cigarette sales near religious sites and schools and approved a licence fee for cigarette vendors.
Earlier this month, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation had carried out a drive to close 26 non-vegetarian food shops near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The drive also extended to Muslim-majority areas in Naisadak and Beniabagh and was initiated by corporator Indresh Kumar Singh.
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