Authorities in Maihar have banned the sale of non-vegetarian food for the duration of the nine-day Navratri festival, which begins on Sunday. The decision was taken in light of the Maa Shardey Chaitra Navratri Fair, an annual event that attracts tens of thousands of devotees to the revered Maa Sharda Mandir, a prominent Shaktipeeth for Hindus.
Additionally, meat shops in Bhopal and Indore will remain closed on key religious festivals, including Chaiti Chand (March 30), Ram Navami (April 6), Mahavir Jayanti (April 10), and Buddha Purnima (May 12), according to civic officials.
To enforce the ban in Bhopal and Indore, municipal authorities have warned that violators may face license cancellations. The move comes after several BJP lawmakers, including former party whip in Lok Sabha and MP Public Works Department Minister Rakesh Singh, advocated for a statewide closure of meat shops during Navratri. Meanwhile, the state government has already announced a permanent closure of liquor shops in 17 holy towns, including Maihar, effective April 1.
