Hrithik makes annual visit to grandpa's farmhouse in Panvel on Mahashivratri where he does puja and serves food to the poor at a temple there

Few know that Hrithik Roshan has been meticulously celebrating Mahashivratri with his family every year for the last 12 years at his grandfather J Om Prakash's farmhouse in Panvel's Barapada village.

Duggu explains, "Dada (the affectionate term he uses for his grandpa) dedicated a temple to Shivji (Lord Shiva, the deity) in the 1980s. His entire spiritual life has been dedicated to the temple there.

We have a huge farmhouse in Panvel and the temple was built on a section of the farm. It has become a tourist spot. Dada has been conducting a langar there ever since he built the temple.

Twelve years ago he asked me to help me with that. He said I should share the joy that he gets from feeding the poor. The langars are now held twice a week.



And no matter what, I take a day off on Mahashivratri to help out. It's a different experience! "

For the past 12 years, the actor has been going to the village with his parents and sister Sunaina and now with wife Sussanne and sons Hridhaan and Hrehaan to feed the poor.



"Earlier when we were kids it was like a big family get together as my cousins, aunts and uncles would also attend. We would stay over the weekend but now we are all busy, so we get together only for a day."



Hrithik and his family also turn strictly vegetarian on Mahashivratri. "It's not about a particular day. I don't restrict myself to any rigid spiritual beliefs.



At home we celebrate everything from Ganpati to Mahashivratri. It's not as much as about religious beliefs and rituals as the joy in believing in the higher spirit."