Kuch Na Kaho...!!!!

Varanasi, Bollywood sensation Abhishek Bachchan and beauty queen-turned actress Aishwarya Rai took part in pujas along with his family at the Kashi Viswanath and Sankat Mochan Temples here early Monday morning, capping a night of rumours that they were getting married.

Abhishek`s father and Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, mother Jaya, sister Shweta Nanda, uncle Ajitabh and his daughter Namrata and Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh took part in the `mangla aarti` and `rudra abhishek` rituals at the ancient temples here.

The family also offered prayers at Ram Janaki Temple near Sankat Mochan Temple and participated in an `aarti` for Lord Hanuman there. The Bachchans and Aishwarya reached temples amidst heavy posse of police personnel and a battery of media persons.

Incidentally, today is the 99th birthday of Bachchan`s father and noted Hindi poet Harivanshrai Bachchan.

"They performed the rituals with great zeal. Amitabh and Jaya offered the `jalabhishek` (offering of water to the deity). I also requested Abhishek and Aishwarya to do so," Kashi Viswanath Temple priest Srikant Tripathi said.

Asked what were the reasons for Bachchan conducting such pujas, Tripathi said he was not aware of the reasons why they wanted to do this and that there was no specific ritual performed to reduce the influence of Mars on the actors.

Astrologer Chandramouli Upadhyaya, who met the Bachchans here last night, said there was no discussion on the marriage and they have come here to offer prayers at the temples to overcome a problem relating to the horoscope of Aishwarya.

There have been considerable speculation in the media about marriage between Abhishek and Aishwarya but neither family has confirmed it.

Amitabh had said in London on November 9 this year that he wanted Abhishek to settle with a "good girl" of his choice.

Asked about the prospect of Abhishek marrying Aishwarya, the older Bachchan had quipped: "I have also heard about it. You should ask the people who spread the rumour".

Abhishek and Aishwarya have starred together in Hindi films like Dhai Akshar Prem Ke, Kuch Na Kaho, recently-released Umrao Jaan and Dhoom II as also Mani Ratnam`s forthcoming "Guru".