3 hours ago
27
Amitabh Bachchan's home in Juhu is one of the most iconic things in the city of Mumbai. There are people who just sometimes visit Mumbai to get a sight of it and true Bachchan fans would know it. Bachchan's first house was called '
Prateeksha
' and it has continued to remain special to them in many ways. So much so, that they make sure that every new or auspicious thing in the family begins from there. The bungalow where they currently live is called '
Jalsa
'.Talking about Prateeksha, Big B had expressed on his blog according to Screen, "The day in 1976 we moved into the first house that this generation had ever bought and built, and called its own." The bungalow was brought apparently after the success of Big B's 1975 film 'Sholay'. They moved into it in 1976. Incidentally, it's also the year when Abhishek Bachchan was born. This bungalow holds a very deep emotional value for the entire family. Big B had once described how his children grew up there.He wrote on his blog, "Prateeksha, she was brought to the home, our first home of our own, when Shweta was barely 2, and Abhishek a few months old… and today to see them celebrate the day in the same home on the same table and surroundings… LIFE IS A WONDER… Children and grandchildren all together."Talking about why the house is called 'Prateeksha', Bachchan had once said on 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', "Prateeksha is a very beautiful name. People ask me why did you keep your house name Prateeksha, but I convey to them that I did not choose it, my father did. Therefore I questioned my father why did you keep the name Prateeksha, he has a poem where there is a line that goes — ‘Swagat sabke liye hain par nahi hain kisi ke liye Prateeksha (It is welcome for all, but wait for none).'”
Abhishek and Aishwarya also got married in this house in 2007. Talking about the memories of the house, Bachchan spoke about the Gulmohar tree which he had planted and how this tree had been with them for generations and seen several things. "The children grew up around it .. as did the grandchildren .. their birthdays and the festivities of festivals all decorated this GulMohar beautiful tree , with its bright orange flowers that bloomed during the summer .. the children did get married just a few feet away from it .. and it stood guardian above them .. its branches bowed down with the weight of grief and sorrow when the elders passed away .. Babuji, Maa ji .. their prayer meet on the 13th and the 12th day after the passing all within its shadow of grief .. the holika .. the burning of the evil forces a day before the celebrations of Holi , burnt about it .. as did all the lights of Deepavali adorn its branches .. the pooja’s of Satyanarayan and the havans for peace and prosperity , within its watchful grace.”Aaradhya Bachchan was also brought first to Prateeksha after she was born in November 2011. Bachchan had mentiond after her birth, “Today, we brought bitiya (Aaradhya) home. We are very happy. Hamare ghar Laxmi aayi hai, Abhishek, Aishwarya and bitiya are all well and in good health. Life changes when a new life comes to your house. I would say Laxmi Ratna has arrived in our house. We first took her to Prateeksha because that is our first home. After taking blessings from my ma and babuji parents, we have come to Jalsa.”Recently, when Big B's grandson Agastya Nanda (Shweta Bachchan Nanda's son) made his debut with 'The Archies', he had appeared on Kaun Banega Crorepati. He was accompanied with his director Zoya Akhtar and co-stars including Suhana Khan. During that time, Zoya recalled how during childhood, they used to visit Bachchan's house Prateeksha and realised that the actor was so fond of music. She had mentioned how there was an entire room in Prateeksha which was dedicated to musical instruments. Big B also smiled recalling that and added that the music room of Prateeksha is now Agastya's room.In November last year, there were reports that Big B has given this house to his daughter Shweta Bachchan Nanda.
English (US)