HINDU AND Jewish leaders have urged Oscar winner Julia Roberts and the producers of the film “Eat, Pray, Love” to immediately provide unconditional access to the area's devotees to the Hindu temple in Pataudi, which had been reportedly shut for the shooting of the film at that location.

 

Rajan Zed, a Hindu statesman and Rabbi Jonathan B Freirich, a Jewish leader, in a joint statement in Nevada on Wednesday (September 23), said that it was very insensitive to keep the devotees away from their deities and worship place, which they had been reportedly visiting since 1948.

 

Moreover, due to Navaratri, a major ten-day Hindu holy festival connected with the autumnal equinox, which was currently underway, it was cruel to keep the worshippers away from their sacred temple. Various celebrations like Durga-puja, Sri-panchami (Saraswati-puja), Lalita-panchami, Maha-navami, Amba-puja and Dussehra, formed part of this, during which the Goddess Durga restored dharma (righteousness), Rajan Zed, president of Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed.

 

According to reports, access to the Hindu temple inside the Ashram Harimandir hermitage, about 60 kilometers from India’s capital Delhi, was reportedly denied and then conditions were put for area villagers who regularly came there to pray to give way to film shooting, thus upsetting the devotees. Women of the village, when they went for the usual darshan (view) of their deities and to offer prayers on Sunday morning (Sept 20), were refused entry. The shooting, which began Sunday is expected to last for two to three weeks.. This hermitage has its own consecrated temple and gaushala (cowshed), offers “spiritual development” and runs a Sanskrit learning centre.

 

Roberts started shooting at this Ashram on Sunday along with Richard Jenkins. Directed by Ryan Murphy of the Nip/Tuck series and expected to be released in 2011, “Eat, Pray, Love” also stars Javier Bardem, Viola Davis, Billy Crudup, James Franco and Luca Argentero.