Man bathes with scalding milk for blissful Ash-Abhishek marriage

Varanasi, Apr 1 (UNI) Call it a bizzare ritual or blind superstition, but a man here today took a bath with scalding milk praying among other things for a blissful married life to would be couple Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan.

Bhani Bhagat (50) performed the dangerous religious ritual with consummate ease by taking bath with scalding milk as an offering to Goddess Durga in the Saptsagar area of this holy city.

''This is the Gwal-Bal puja done by my ancesstors for appeasing the heavenly powers especially Goddess Durga and Shitla for public prosperity, especially for granting blissful married life to would be and newly married couples,'' said Bani Bhagat after taking the fuming bath amid a swollen crowd of devouts.

Wearing a starch white 'dhoti' and marigold garlands, Bhani Bhagat, a resident of Shivpur locality of the city took bath with scalding milk, ghee and kheer amid the beating of drums.

''Before Bhani Bhagat also other people like Paanchu Bhagat and Kashi Bhagat have performed the scalding feat for appeasing Goddess Durga to usher prosperity to the entire nation and not only this locality alone. This year, however, we added another prayer to Bhani Bhagat's cause by requesting him to pray for blissful marital life to the Junior Bachchan and the former Miss World,''the organisers of the special prayers said.

''This special prayer not only ushers prosperity into lives of household in form of wealth, children and healthy life, but is of special significance for the blissful married life to newly married couples and for those whose wedding is to be solemenised shortly,'' Bhani Bhagat added.

''As per belief this prayer signifies the ecstasy of Goddess Durga who dances and bathes with scalding milk, ghee and kheer for prosperity of devouts,'' he added.

''This annual ritual in Saptasagar locality is over six century old and Bhaani Bhagat has been performing it here for the last 15 years. This year, however, the special prayer was made especially for granting blisfful married life to all newly married and would be couples including the picture-perfect Ash and Abhishek,'' the organisers added.

UNI