Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Updated
Mangaluru, Apr 8: Bollywood actress, former Miss World and heartthrob of India, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, was in the city, her hometown, on Saturday April 8 on a two-day visit.
Accompanied by her daughter Aaradhya, mother Brinda Rai and brother Aditya, Aishwarya is in town to take part in the post-funeral rituals connected with the recent death of Rai's father, Krishnaraj Rai in Mumbai.
Dressed in a simple, white salwar-kameez, the actress was the picture of elegance and grace.
After arriving at the airport, Aishwarya and her relatives were to visit Kadri temple on Saturday. As their flight arrived late, they postponed this visit to Sunday, and instead, went directly to Lord Sahasralingeshwara temple at Uppinangady after their arrival.
She is expected to be busy taking part in different private programmes here on Sunday before departing for Mumbai by flight in the evening.
Aishwarya's husband, actor Abhishek Bachchan, was also expected to accompany her, but did not.
As news spread, people from the surrounding areas flocked to the temple in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the actress.
During her two-day stay, Aishwarya visited three leading temples in Dakshina Kannada district and offered puja to the presiding deities there.
Her mother Brinda Rai, brother Aditya Rai, and some other family members were with Aishwarya and Aaradhya when they offered special puja at Lord Manjunatheshwara temple at Kadri in the city at around 11 am. The dignitary and her family offered prayers seeking the Lord's grace to ensure that the soul of Aishwarya's father, Krishnaraj Rai who breathed his last recently, will rest in peace.
Other relatives like retired Vijaya Bank employee, Yatindranath Shetty, his wife, Sucheta Y Shetty, their family members, member of previous managing committee of Kadri temple, Nivedita Shetty, current members, Pushpalata Shetty and Chandrakala, chief priest, Vasudev Bhat, priest, Rama Bhat, and executive officer of the temple, Ningaiah, were among those present on the occasion.
The celebrated artiste's next destination of Sharavu Lord Mahaganapati temple where too she prayed for the liberation of her father's soul. Bachchan family is known to be staunch devotees of Lord Ganapati. The actress and her entourage then moved to Goddess Mangaladevi temple in the city where too special puja was offered to the Goddess seeking blessings to see that Aishwarya's father's soul will rest in peace. Chief priest of the temple, Srinivas Aithal, feted the actress by offering Prasadam and a sari on behalf of the temple. Aishwarya said that her long-time desire to visit this temple located in her hometown was finally fulfilled.
As per the custom, the temple authorities offered a tender coconut to Aishwarya. Expressing happiness about its taste, she sought another one and consumed it.
Aishwarya and her close ones then returned to a private hostel in the city where the group had food and rest. In the evening, they left for Mumbai by Jet Airways flight, sources said.
Video