En suite tents upset holy men

Travel agent Cox & Kings has caused a stir in India by setting up a colony of luxury tents for visitors to the Maha Kumbh Mela religious festival.

Sadhus (Hindu holy men) claim that the tents, with en suite bathrooms, violate the event's sacred status.

Seventy million people are converging on the northern Indian city of Allahabad for the 42-day festival, one of the most sacred of the Hindu religion.

A spokesman for Cox & Kings said: "We were allotted that land long ago by local administrators in conjunction with the sadhu sect and now, for some reason, they are kicking up a fuss."

There was speculation that celebrities such as Madonna, Sharon Stone, Richard Gere, Pierce Brosnan and Demi Moore would be among those using the tents. "We have no knowledge of any celebrities going there at all," the Cox & Kings spokesman added. "If they are, they are under a block booking."

Organisers expect to cook more than 250 million meals during the event.