/> The Rais are extremely amused and somewhat exasperated by media reports claiming that a clarification has been issued about the supposedly drunken bodyguard's supposedly high-handed conduct at the Pushkar temple last week when the actress paid a visit there.

"No such clarification has been issued," laughs a very dependable source, "Because no incident happened at the Pushkar temple. The entire episode is as fabricated as the priest at the Madurai temple who's supposed to have seen Ash and Abhishek exchange garlands.

We challenge the priest to come forward and please tell us when the two exchanged garlands. The Pushkar incident is again an example of the hounding that Ash and her family have been facing throughout 2006."

Explaining the true picture isn't easy. But a close friend of Aishwarya tries her best to put the matter into a perspective. "Look, Ash has been visiting temples and dargah for years now. It's her habit to visit religious places wherever she is shooting.

Since Ashutosh Gowariker's schedule in Rajasthan for Jodha-Akbar was over, Ash decided to visit the temple and dargah before leaving the place. She has been doing the same during all her outdoor shootings. Why is such a big deal being made if she visited a dargah or a temple this time?

Why attribute hidden meanings and agendas to such simple and gestures? Ash tried to keep her visit to the holy places as low-profile as possible. What can she do if everything she does gets blown out of all proportions?'

There's much distress among the actress' friends and family over her constant media-association with Abhishek Bachchan. Ash's close friends feel she has been hounded throughout 2006.

"There's more to her than whom she's seeing. Ash is keeping quiet. That's her nature. But she's far from amused by all the speculation about her life," says a source very close to Ash.

"Even the issue about someone sending her money in an envelope from South Africa was blown out of all proportions. She had no knowledge of the man or his money. She did whatever was required by the law.

And now nearly two months have passed. When the authorities are aware of the identity of the person who sent her the money why hasn't anything been done to question him?"