Press Trust of India
MUMBAI, May 31: Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan says he cannot prevent the media from making his temple visits look like a public spectacle.
Bachchan said he never invited mediapersons to follow him during his rituals. "My religiosity is my democratic prerogative in a free society. No one has the right to question it or to paint adverse malicious comments," Bachchan wrote on his blog.
The actor was responding to bloggers who posted comments wanting to know what he asks from Gods and whether there is a need to make a public spectacle of it.
Bachchan accompanied by his son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya walked bare foot to Siddhivinayak temple early Tuesday morning to offer prayers to Lord Ganesh.
The Big B said he visited the temple to seek strength and protection and to exist with honour and grace.
The actor also denied that special treatment is meted out to him and his family during such visits.
"The portals of divine presence belong to no particular individual. HE is the only VIP. In HIS presence, all are equal. I deny any special treatment meted out to us. For better people management, certain locations have intricate procedures in place. If it is accessible to all and if I fall in any one legally programmed category, I shall avail it. My presence there is that of a devotee; as one with the others," he said.
Bachchan said he is disturbed, immensely upset and angry by the "anti-secular" comments made by certain elements on the blog.
"I shall not mention them by name but they must know that they will never be entertained or acknowledged here. They are ignorant and wrong in their assessment and accusations," he added.
Earlier News:
Big B, family visit Siddhivinayak
MUMBAI, May 27: Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, along with his family members, visited the Siddhivinayak temple in Prabhadevi early on Tuesday morning to offer prayers, sources said.
Bachchan along with son Abhishek, daughter-in-law Aishwarya started walking on Tuesday from their residence 'Jalsa' in suburban Mumbai at 0200 hrs towards Prabhadevi in central Mumbai, they said.
They reached Siddhivinayak temple and participated in the 'Kakad' arti (before sunrise).
The serpentine queue of devotees, who come from all over Mumbai and nearby areas, were stopped for over an hour when the Bachchans were offering prayers, sources added.
Every Tuesday, devotees visit the temple in large numbers to offer prayers and some even walk several miles from their homes to the temple to reach in time for the Kakad arti as Tuesday is considered "Lord Ganesha's day".
According to sources, Bachchan, sporting a grey track suit, drove from his bungalow 'Prateeksha' to his other residence 'Jalsa' where he was later joined by Abhishek and Aishwarya to walk towards the temple.
Bachchan's wife Jaya joined them at the temple.