Photo ban at India festival

Auspicious day for a dip in the Ganges

Organisers of the Kumbh Mela Hindu festival in northern India have banned photography in bathing areas near the sacred Ganges and Yamuna rivers.

These are very simple people. They do not understand the complexity and extent of journalists' work

Festival official

Journalists and amateur photographers rushed in when a horde of naked, ash-smeared holy men, or sadhus, charged into the Ganges on Sunday, the second of six particularly auspicious bathing days.

While some pilgrims appeared to enjoy the attention, others complained. Photographers will now have to stay at least 500 metres from the waters' edge.

Some enjoy the attention

"We will physically stop them. They were taking photos of people while they were bathing, especially ladies," the official in charge of the event, the Mela Commissioner, told Reuters news agency.

"These are very simple people. They do not understand the complexity and extent of journalists' work."

Five-star tents - a source of resentment among many devotees - will remain in use for the time being after India's Supreme Court granted a stay against a local official's order in Allahabad that they be removed because of fears over law and order.

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh said those staying at the tented accommodation included a crew who filmed women bathing in the sacred waters, the Times of India reported.

About 70 million devotees are expected to attend

An international tour operator which had set up the 74 luxury tents complained the authorities gave insufficient notice and denied them an opportunity to make their case before the order cancelling their permission was made.

The festival, which takes place every 12 years, is expected to draw some 70 million devotees before it ends next month.