Varanasi Temple Prohibits Cake Offerings After Influencer's Birthday Video Draws Criticism
A viral video of influencer Mamata Rai cutting a birthday cake in the temple's sanctum has led to backlash and new restrictions from temple authorities.
- Influencer Mamata Rai, with over one million Instagram followers, filmed herself cutting a birthday cake inside Varanasi's Kaal Bhairav Temple, offering the first slice to the deity.
- The video, widely shared on social media, has been criticized by devotees and religious leaders as disrespectful to the temple's sanctity.
- The temple's chief priest, Naveen Giri, stated that cake offerings were not unusual but claimed the incident was misrepresented online and blown out of proportion.
- In response to the backlash, the temple management has announced a ban on cutting and offering cakes within the premises to preserve traditional practices.
- The Kashi Vidwat Parishad, a prominent religious body, plans to send a legal notice to Rai and intends to urge the Chief Minister to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Hindustan Times 
NDTV 
