Indian villagers hoping to celebrate the beginning of Navratra, nine days of worship of their Goddess Durga, in a town close to Delhi found their temple sealed today with a security team of 350 guards, bulletproof cars and a helicopter.
And they have actress Julia Roberts to blame.
The Hollywood star — in India to film “Eat, Pray, Love,” in which she portrays a woman hoping to find herself in Hindu spirituality — angered local worshippers for whom the temple has always been open, The Daily Telegraph of London reported today on its Web site.
The situation also grew chaotic as one villager threatened to break in despite the heavy security.
A senior local police officer told the newspaper that no one would be allowed to breach security.
“There are more than 100 policemen outside the Ashram Hari Mandir and almost equal number inside the premises, both uniformed and in civilian disguise. Nobody can breach this cover and no outsider is allowed to enter the ashram, no matter whosoever he or she is. We have strict instructions,” he said.
The newspaper reported that the “Pretty Woman” is personally being protected by 40 armed guards during her stay in India.