Bachchan wedding bells ring in local baraat

Raj Singh in his shop. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, April 19: The chimes of the wedding bells of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai will be heard in Jamshedpur, too.

Raj Singh, a die-hard fan of Amitabh Bachchan, has made arrangements for the wedding of the two Bollywood stars, as he feels it is his “duty” to celebrate the grand occasion.

A puja has been planned at the nearby sun temple in which dolls symbolising Abhishek and Aishwarya will be married. A baraat will also be taken out to reach the temple with a band party.

“After the puja, we will distribute sweets and snacks to the baraatis. The entire place is being decorated with jhalars and chamkis,” said Singh.

“A separate puja will also be performed to keep Aishwarya away from any ill-effects as she is a manglik. There will also be a special puja for the speedy recovery of Amitabh’s ailing mother Teji Bachchan, who has been my ideal,” he said.

But for the eviction drive, the celebrations would have been grander. “My tailoring shop is in the list of structures to be demolished as part of the anti-encroachment drive. This has worried me as this shop helps me earn my bread and butter. But I will celebrate the wedding tomorrow as this is the wedding of Amitji’s son, and I love Amitji the most,” said Singh, who runs a tailor shop, Raj Fashion Tailors, on Road No. 8 at Sidhgora Bagan area. A die-hard fan, Singh has named his son Abhishek and his daughter Shweta after the names of Amitabh Bachchan’s own children.

“I have decided that I will get my son married on April 20, too. He is only 10 years old now. I will also change the name of my daughter-in-law to Aishwarya,” he declared.

His biggest desire, he confessed, is to be present at the site of the real ceremony — Amitabh’s home, Pratiksha.

“But I am a small man and I am not sure whether I will be even allowed entry into his residence. My best wishes will be with the new couple,” said the Bachchan fan, who has been celebrating Big B’s birthday for the past 25 years. He has sent a greeting card to the Bachchans.

Singh’s wife Manmit, who is also called “Jaya bhabhi” by neighbours and friends, said: “I have to be present at the wedding tomorrow at the sun temple. After all it’s the wedding of our son.”

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070420/asp/jamshedpur/story_7671973.asp