On 27th November when the Big B celebrated his father the late Harivanshrai Bahchchan's 99th birthday, he made some subdued but nonetheless momentous plans for the occasion. He performed a puja along with his family at a Varanasi temple on Monday.

"Normally we've a kavi sammellan in Lucknow initiated some years ago by Shri Atal Vajpayee who's a huge fan of my father's works. This year we're bypassing the kavi sammellan. My mother is critically ill. And none of us in the mood for public events," revealed Big B.

Instead the entire family collected at Varanasi to pay a homage to the Bachchan patriarch.

"Jaya was already shooting for Pradeep Sarkar's film in the Holy city. Abhishek who was shooting in Delhi came to Varanasi with his sister," he adds.

"My niece Namrata writes poetry. She's also a painter. Obviously she's the artiste in the family," says the Big B with obvious pride. "For my father's centenary next year Namrata will be translating his poetry. We're planning an English re-print of Madhushala as well as new English editions of his poetry."

He pauses to ponder before concluding, "I want my father's 100th birthday to be something special. But this year, just the small family puja in Varanasi will have to suffice."

Bollywood's first family arrived in the city on at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday night. Aishwarya Rai, rumoured to be a special friend of the superstar's son Abhishek also took part in this special journey.

According to local administration officials, the high-profile guests drove down straight to the Taj Ganges hotel where 22 rooms were booked for them.

A high-security ring was put into place around the Shiva temple, which will be closed to devotees while the one-hour 'puja' was on. The 'mangala aarti' - prosperity invocation - was scheduled for 3.30 a.m. Monday.

The family also offered prayers at Ram Janaki temple near Sankat Mochan temple and participated in an aarti for Lord Hanuman there.

"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 was quoted by news agency as saying.

Quizzed on the reasons for Bachchans conducting such pujas, Tripathi said he was not aware of the reasons and that there was no specific ritual performed to reduce the influence of Mars on the actors.

The Varanasi administration was tight-lipped about the visit until the news leaked out Sunday morning. In Varanasi the Bachchans were joined by family purohit Chandramoily Uphadhaya. His presence too may be significant since he had overseen the wedding of daughter Shewta Nanda 10 years ago.

Amitabh was be accompanied by his actress-MP wife Jaya, daughter Shweta, brother Ajitabh and Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh.

However, it is the surprise inclusion of Aishwarya that gives the occasion a special significance, in view of earlier reports that the Bachchan family had consented to an Abhishek - Aishwarya wedding. This is the first time Aishwarya Rai is participating in a Bachchan family only event signaling Rai's acceptance as a member of the Bachchan family.

So was it just a ritual being conducted to observe the 99th birth anniversary of Big B's father Harivarnshrai Bachchan or some pre marriage puja for Ash and Abhishek as well?

Well, no one can say for sure.