Hindu and Jewish leaders urge Julia Roberts to restore access to holy temple

Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts has been asked to restore access to a Hindu temple after film-makers shut the area to shoot new movie Eat, Pray, Love.

Roberts, 41, is currently filming her new movie in India and has provoked a storm of criticism from Hindu and Jewish leaders that the temple in Pataudi was closed to worshippers.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed and prominent Jewish leader Rabbi Jonathan B Freirich said in a statement that it was “very insensitive” to keep devotees away from their place of worship.

A major ten-day Hindu festival, Navratri, is currently under way and film-makers have been called “cruel” for denying worshippers access to the sacred temple, which they have reportedly been visiting since 1948.

According to reports, access inside the Ashram Harimandir hermitage has been denied to locals and villagers were given conditions as to when they could attend the temple to tie in with the movie’s shooting schedule.

Source: Splash News