CHENNAI: There was a running boast that huge crowds of fans would turn up at the special pujas organissed for ‘Superstar’ Rajinikanth’s entry into his 62nd year. Rather surprisingly, it wasn’t quite near that on a busy Monday morning in the metropolis. Except for about 50 devoted fans from the Saidapet area, who gathered at 9 am at the Ellaiamman Temple and twice the number of hoardings featuring the smiling actor, there was little fanfare to mark Rajinikanth’s birthday. “This is his first birthday,” proclaimed Saidai G Ravi, a fan club secretary who organised the puja, “after his brush with sickness; this is his rebirth (maru piravi).” he added as the crowd burst into histrionics.This did not dampen the spirits of the die-hard bunch as they welcomed Rajinikanth’s friend-cum-associate director SP Muthuraman to offer the special puja for the actor’s good health. Once Muthuraman arrived, curious onlookers began entering the temple to see what the commotion was about and contributed to the numbers; they were rewarded with annadhanam even as 62 paal kudam abhishekhams were offered to mark each of Rajinikanth’s years alive.Similar prayers were held at the Besant Nagar Church and Raghavendra Temple in Mylapore but the crowds were scant. “Only his biggest fan stook the day off to celebrate this day for him. The rest are concentrating on Tuesday’s gala event,” said an ecstatic Saravanaperumal, an IT employee and ardent fan.By mid-morning, just when the crowds were beginning to disperse news came that Rajinikanth would greet fans at his Poes Garden home. Close to 300 thronged his house and were happy to be received by his wife Latha Rajinikanth. The fans who had travelled from as far as Namakkal, Tuticorin, Rajapalayam and even Bangalore were a touch disappointed. But when they were told that he had gone on a pilgrimage to Raghavendra Temple in Mantralaya, Karnataka, they calmed down and left with the sweets she proffered.
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