Sanjay Dutt performs 'pind daan' for parents in Gaya, expresses excitement for Ram mandir in Ayodhya

Actor Sanjay Dutt performs `pind daan` rituals, in Gaya. Pic/PTI

On Thursday, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt performed the 'pind daan' for his father Sunil Dutt and mother Nargis Dutt in Gaya for peace to their souls. Arriving on a special charter flight, Sanjay, dressed in a white kurta-pyjama, went to the Moksha Dham Vishnupad temple, located on the bank of Phalgu river, for the ceremony. He was accompanied by his security personnel to ensure his safety.

Pind daan is a Hindu ritual that involves paying homage to the deceased. It's performed by relatives of the deceased at three holy sites in Gaya: the Phalgu River, Vishnupad Temple, and Akshay Vat tree. The ritual can take about two hours and can be completed in one day. Sanjay Dutt's father Sunil Dutt died on May 25, 2005 and his mother, actress Nargis Dutt died on May 3, 1981.

After hearing about actor Sanjay Dutt's arrival, a large number of his fans assembled outside the Vishnupad temple to see their favorite star. Post wrapping up the rituals, Dutt met his fans outside the temple premises. He also interacted with the media and expressed his excitement for the opening of the Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya which will be inaugurated on January 22 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The actor also said that he would like to visit the temple and offer prayers.

"Bahut achchi baat hai, bahut achchi baat hai (it's great)," said the actor when asked to comment about the new Ram temple in Ayodhya. He followed it up with chants of Jai Bhole and Jai Shri Ram.

Previously, journalists had asked him at the airport whether he would like to visit Ayodhya. "Definitely. Why not?" he said.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Sanjay Dutt was last seen in the film 'Jawan' in a special appearance. The film directed by Atlee starred Shah Rukh Khan, Nayanthara, Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Deepika Padukone, and Vijay Sethupathi in pivotal roles. he will next be seen in the sci-fi horror comedy film The Virgin Tree, which also features Sunny Singh, Mouni Roy, and Palak Tiwari in the lead roles. The actor has also started shooting for 'Welcome 3' with Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Disha Patani, Raveena Tandon, among others.