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Varanasi bans meat sales during holy month
Varanasi is shutting down all meat shops citywide for the holy month of Sawan, which began on a Friday.
The move is meant to keep the city's spiritual vibe intact as lakhs of devotees—especially Kanwariyas heading to Kashi Vishwanath Temple—arrive for the festivities, according to Mayor Ashok Kumar Tiwari.
Last year's ban faced some pushback from shop owners
Enforcement teams have already closed about 350 unlicensed meat shops since Saturday morning.
Restaurants serving non-veg food aren't affected, but shopkeepers who ignore the ban could face legal trouble.
This isn't new—last year's similar ban got some pushback from shop owners, but officials say it's all about keeping things peaceful around Varanasi's religious hotspots during Sawan.