No Weddings in Allahabad Between Jan & March 2019, Thanks to Kumbh

Wedding hall owners and hoteliers have been asked to cancel weddings slated to take place during this period.

Kumbh Mela. 

(Photo: Reuters)

The Uttar Pradesh government has reportedly issued an order stating that no weddings will be held between January and March 2019 in Allahabad due to the upcoming Kumbh Mela.

According to reports, the diktat issued by the Yogi Adityanath government states that no weddings shall be held from the day before to the day after the Kumbh ‘snaan’, which is a series of six baths spread over 3 months. The district administration has reportedly sent copies of the order to wedding hall owners and hoteliers, asking them to cancel any weddings that might be slated to take place during this period.

Needless to say, this move has served as a huge blow to families who had planned to hold weddings during this period, with many rushing to either change the dates or the venue of the wedding.

Meanwhile, speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior district official said that though the order will cause inconvenience to some families, it is expected to help with the large crowd of devotees that is expected to descend on the bathing dates. The five bathing dates during the holy pilgrimage include the two Makar Sankranti and Paush Purnima dates in January, Mauni Amavasya, Basant Panchmi and Maaghi Purnima in February and Maha Shivratri in March.

Earlier, CM Yogi Adityanath had also ordered tanneries in Kanpur to be shut down from 15 December 2018 to 15 January 2019 in a bid to keep the Ganga clean ahead of the Kumbh mela.

(With inputs from Deccan Chronicle)