Shah Rukh Khan Visits Tirupati Temple

Shah Rukh Khan is seeking blessings at one temple after another before the release of Jawan on September 7.

Shah Rukh Khan, daughter Suhana Khan, and co-star Nayanthara prayed at the Tirupati Temple. 

The actor reached Tirupati on Monday night and had an early morning Darshan. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent trust which manages the Tirupati Temple. TTD officials welcomed the superstar on arrival at the temple. They had made all the arrangements for the actor. Pictures and videos of Shah Rukh from Tirupati are already going viral after surfacing on social media on Tuesday morning. He gave flying kisses to the devotees outside the temple and expressed his gratitude with folded hands. Dressed in a white salwar-kameez, Suhana Khan held her father's hand. Nayanthara and Vignesh were also dressed in white outfits for the temple visit. Last month, Shah Rukh Khan was spotted visiting Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir amid tight security ahead of Jawan's audio launch in Chennai. However, this was not his first visit to the temple. Previously, he had offered prayers at Vaishno Devi temple before Pathaan's release in January this year.

Commenting on the video a user wrote, “This guy uses religion for promotion,” while another said, “Movie aati hai jab hi kyo ye actors mandir me jate hai” (Why do actors who to temples only when their movie is about to release?) Another commented saying, “Why they are allowed in the temple premises when it is clearly mentioned that apart from the Hindu dharm no one is allowed?” Shah Rukh’s wife Gauri Khan is a Hindu. Shah Rukh earlier said that his encourages his children Aryan and Suhana to follow both Hindu and Muslim religions. 

In the past Sonia Gandhi, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, a Protestant Christian, and other prominent non-Hindus have visited the Tirupati Temple. Generally, people from all religions are allowed to enter the temple. As per an old custom, non-Hindu visitors must sign a declaration form expressing their faith in Lord Venkateshwara. Foreigners too need to declare their faith in the Lord before entering the temple. However many news reports say that the rule remains largely ignored. Are this prominent personalities made to sign the declaration? That is a question mark.

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