Niece Arushi wishes luck to 'Abhishek Mama-Ash Mami'

Varanasi, Apr 18 (UNI) Before the eagerly awaited Ash-Abhishek marriage, a little girl here claiming to be the niece of Junior Bachchan today wished blissful married life to her 'Abhishek Mama and Aishwarya Mami' along with a promise to shower the couple with chocolates.

Arushi (12) a student of VIIth standard in Allahabad, presently at the house of maternal grand father Krishna Murari in Varanasi is the daughter of Aparna, a cousin of Abhishek Bachchan.

''We feel sad that we have not been invited for the marriage of my Mama, but I wish him all the best for the marital life with most beautiful Aishwarya Mami,'' said Arushi holding the colourful best wishes poster she has painted for the star couple.

Arushi's maternal grand father Krishna Murari (80), a retired technician from Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), happens to be the son of Shiv Prasad -- who was one of the cousins of Big B's poet father Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

''I have not been fortunate enough to meet either Amitabh Nana or Abhishek Mama, but only caught the glimpse of the latter while he was shooting at the Assi Ghat here for the film 'Bas Itna Sa Khwab Hai' some years back.

''My friends teased me that if he was my Mama why did I not dare to meet him,'' said Arushi with tears in her eyes.

''Kuch bhi ho par woh to humare mama hai... aur kabhi na kabhi Aishwarya Mami ke saath humse milne zaroo ayenge'' (after all he is my uncle and will one day definitely troupe to us with Aishwarya Mami, said an ever hopeful Arushi.

Her aunt and one of the two unmarried cousins of the Junior Bachchan, Annapurna, said ''like other members of the Bachchan family, we join the entire nation in wishing happy marital life to both Abhishek and Aishwarya.'' Annapurna, a school teacher, is not dejected at not being invited to the marriage. ''We never expected an invitation as we were not even invited for the marriage of Shweta. Even the seasons greetings which were sent to us by Mumbai based family are a thing of past now.'' Annapurna's father, Krishna Murari recounts that the ''last time I attended any function of Bachchans was when Abhishek was born.

Before that I was a momentarily a guest at Amitabh Bahchchan's marriage with Jaya (Bhaduri) in Mumbai. I also went to see Bachchan Chachaji (Dr Harivansh Rai Bachchan) once when he was being treated at a Mumbai hospital.'' But I have no complaints about my cousin Amitabh or his family.

''When we did not invite them for our daughter's marriage how can we even expect them to invite us for their son or daughter's marriage,'' he said.

''I do not blame Amitabh Bachchan for not staying connected to us because we are not well off. If that would have been the case with the Bollywood superstar, why did he recognise me and meet me personally out of a motley crowd before embarking on the boat to immerse the ashes of Bachchan Chachaji in Ganga river here on January 24, 2003,'' said Mr Murari.

UNI