Authorities have banned the sale of all non-vegetarian foods in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh's Maihar town during the nine-day Navratri festival. Maihar is home to revered Maa Sharda Mandir, a Shaktipeeth for Hindus. Tens of thousands of devotees visit the town during the annual nine-day 'Maa Shardey Chaitra Navrati Fair'.

The Navratri festivities commenced on Sunday. Besides, meat shops in Bhopal and Indore have been ordered to remain closed on the festivals of Chaiti Chand (March 30), Ram Navami (April 6), Mahavir Jayanti (April 10) and Buddha Purnima (May 12), civic officials said. To enforce the ban in the two cities, municipal authorities have warned that shops will even face cancellation of their licence if they flout the orders.