Priceless 'Banarasi Lehenga' for Aishwarya's wedding

Varanasi, Jan 15 (UNI) The Bachchan family, which reportedly purchased choicest sarees during their newsmaking visit to the temple city on November 27, has ordered a priceless 'Banarasi Lehanga' for the coming wedding ok Abhishek Bachchan with Aishwarya Rai.

''We received a telephone call this morning from people close to the Bachchan family in Lucknow, who ordered 21 shagun saress worth Rs 2.33 lakh for the Ash-Abhishek wedding ceremony, the date of which is still to be finalised,'' owner of Jalan's Kabira dresswear showroom Vishnu Jalan told newspersons here today.

The people were the ones who had bought 11 sarees worth Rs 50,000 on the direction of Amitabh Bachchan during the family's visit to the temple city along with Aishwarya on November 27 he said.

While the order for the 21 sarees will be dispatched to Lucknow today itself, the 'Anmol' Banarasi Lehenga that Ash is likely to wear on the wedding day will be ready by the end of this month, Mr Jalan added.

Mr Jalan said the Lehenga to be crafted by a master weaver of the city famous for signature Banarasi Sarees will be an interplay of Banarasi Zardozi and Kolkatan-Jaipuri embriodery on a silken base coupled with craft work to give it a star spangled look. Refusing to disclose the price of the Lehenga, Mr Jalan said the silken delight, which will be worn by former Miss World on her marriage day, was priceless''.

Showroom sources, however, pegged the price at over Rs two lakh.

Enlisting the 21 sarees ordered by the Bachchan family, Mr Jalan said the order comprises mostly 'georgette and bandez' sarees in varied hues including pink, scarlet, mustard, royal blue and magenta with exquisite pearl and stone work.

Terming the 21 sarees as 'Shagun' sarees for the marriage, Mr Jalan said they were hopeful of bagging orders for 51 more marriage sarees from the Bachchans soon.

The real life couple for Mani Ratnam's 'Guru' were engaged for real life at the 'Roka' ceremony held at Aishwarya's Juhu residence in Mumbai last evening.

UNI