Bachchans, Aishwarya to visit Kashi Vishwanath temple tomorrow

Varanasi, Nov 26: In a significant development which is likely to add fuel to the prospects of Aishwarya-Abhishek marriage, the entire Bachchan family flanked by the hazel-eyed former Miss World are likely to offer prayers at the world-famous Kashi Vishwanath temple here early tomorrow.

Sources at the temple housing one of the 12 'jyotirlingas' told UNI here today that as per the official protocal, Aishwarya Rai alongwith Big B Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan will attend the 'Mangala Arti' at the temple at 0300 hrs tomorrow.

The celebrated devotees will also be accompanied by Big B's daughter Shweta Nanda, brother Ajitabh Bachchan with his daughter Namrata, besides senior Samajwadi Party leader and close friend Amar Singh.

Interestingly, Jaya Bachchan is already in the city for the last few days for the shooting of Yash Raj film 'Choodiyan'.

Sources at Varanasi Airport also confirmed that a special chartered flight from Mumbai having Bachchans and Ash on board will land at 1020 hrs tonight and return at 1215 hrs tomorrow.

A priest at the temple who will be present at the early morning 'Arti' confided that both Ash and Abhishek are likely to seek blessings of Kashi Vishwanath for the future auspicious occasion, but was unaware of prospects of any pre-marriage ceremony taking place at the temple itself.

Coincidentally, today was the 100th birthday of Big B's famous poet father Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan and the family celebrated it in style with the celestial 'darshan' at Kashi Vishwanath in the prized 'Bramha Muhurat.' The priest-cum-astrologer of the Bachchan family, Acharya Chandramauli Upadhayay after performing the Abhishek Pujan -- Dugdabhishek and Jalabhishek -- at the Kashi Vishwanath temple accompanied his neswmaker 'yajmans' to the Sankatmochan temple.

The celebrated devouts first participated in the early morning Arti of Lord Hanuman followed by 'parikrama' of the Hanuman and 'darshan' at Ram Janaki temples.

They were then led by Acharya Upadhyaya to the 'havan kund' in the temple premises, where 85 priests had been performing the Shanti Paath for the famous family since yesterday. The Shanti Paath was ensued by the 'Panchang Pujan' and recital of Hanuman Chalisa by the Bachchans and Ash.

The last on the one and half hour pujan programme were the Yash Kirti Yajna and Navagraha Shanti Path, which priests present at the temple said was performed for the prosperity of the 'yajmans.' The entire family alongwith Ash also participated in the 'havan' with Amitabh seated next to Jaya and son Abhishek flanked by former Miss World.

The entire religious exercise at the March 7 last blast-hit temple assumed significance in the wake of reports that there was a hurdle of 'Mangal Graha' in Ash's horoscope which was hampering the prospects of her marital bond with Abhishek.

The Bachchans after an hour and half 'pujan' at the Sankatmochan temple left for the Hotel at 0630 hrs. As per the official protocol, while Junior Bachchan will fly to Agra at 1230 hrs today, the private plane will leave for New Delhi from Agra at 1430 hrs.

The remaining members of the Bachchan family Amitabh, Ajitabh, Shweta and Namrata will leave by another private flight for Mumbai also at 1230 hrs from Varanasi Airport.

UNI