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Sunday, Jan 28, 2007
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The temple-hopping stars

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai visit one more temple

— PHOTO: AP

PRIME PAIR: Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai in Mirzapur on Saturday.

Mirzapur: Bollywood pair Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai on Saturday sought blessings at the Vindhyavasini Temple here in Uttar Pradesh. It was their first public appearance together after their wedding engagement.

The Bachchan family members, led by Amitabh Bachchan, also participated in the 51st birthday celebrations of Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh.

They offered prayers at the temple of Maa Bhagwati. In what is being seen as a pre-nuptial ceremony, Abhishek and Aishwarya performed `parikarama' (circumambulation) of the deity and performed puja. They accepted `kumkum' given to them as `prasad'.

Abhishek, dressed in white kurta-pyjamas, applied the `kumkum' on Aishwarya's forehead and applied some on his own. The two offered a gold `chhatra' (umbrella), nose ring and anklets during puja.

According to priests at the temple, 16 types of puja were performed by the Bachchans at the temple.

Coming out of the temple, Aishwarya, dressed in a white suit and olive-green `dupatta', thanked the security personnel. Security was tight at the temple.

Birthday celebrations

After offering prayers, the Bachchans and Aishwarya took part in a function organised to celebrate Mr. Amar Singh's birthday at a pandal erected close to the temple. Amitabh, his wife Jaya and Abhishek and Aishwarya were seated on a stage at the pandal along with other guests, who included Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh, actress-politician Jayaprada and business baron Subroto Roy.

Fifty-one couples were married on the occasion. One of the couples was introduced to Amitabh and Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav by Mr. Amar Singh. Amitabh performed `kanya daan' at the function.

The Bachchans and Aishwarya arrived here from Varanasi by helicopter and went straight to the temple.

The Bachchans and Aishwarya have in the recent past visited a string of temples including those in Madurai, Varanasi, Pushkar and Mumbai. — PTI

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