This story is from October 26, 2014

Shivanna lights up diwali festivities

Shyam Prasad S / Bangalore Mirror Bureau / Updated: Oct 26, 2014, 10:08 IST

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The Sandalwood star's festival celebrations not just involved his family but also included friends from film industry and the under priviledged

Between 6 pm and 10 pm on Friday evening, Sandalwood star Shiva Rajkumar's residence witnessed a steady stream of visitors. The four hours saw non-stop diwali celebrations with a nonstop show of fireworks.Shivanna's immediate family along with the family members of his brothers Puneeth and Raghavendra Rajkumar (including the new Sandalwood entrant Vinay Rajkumar) joined hundreds of the actor's personal as well as film industry friends in the celebrations. Shivanna's childhood friends from Chennai also joined him in the festivities.
However what made the celebrations all the more special and heartwarming was Shivanna's kind gesture of inviting underprivileged kids and adults from the neighbourhood for dinner. Children from these families were given away fire crackers and sweets. Producer KPSrikanth, who was a witness said, “This is the most meaningful celebrations of diwali I have witnessed.The entire Rajkumar family was there. But what made it special was how poor people from the neighbourhood were also made part of the celebrations. It is a tradition started by Rajkumar himself.When the Rajkumar family was in Madras (Chennai) then, the celebrations was with film workers. The tradition is now continued by Shivanna and other family members.“
Among those spotted at the diwali bash also included producers KPSrikanth, KanakapuraSrinivas, TarunShivappa, actors Deepak, OrataPrashanth, director Mussanje Mahesh among others. Tarun, who is also a regular in the annual Shabarimala pilgrimage that Shivanna undertakes with dozens of his friends, said, “It was the best Deepavali celebrations I have seen. It was not just the splendid fireworks but also Shivanna who infused energy to the celebrations.“ Sources said that much of the crackers were imported and the cost of the celebrations was Rs 10 lakh. The guests who arrived at the bash too brought along huge boxes of crackers. A resident of the Manyata Tech Park gated community which houses the super star's home said, “About 100 flying wish candles was the best attraction. It was a visual treat to watch the skies light up, though the noise was a bit much. But in the morning, the walkers at the gated community felt the street which houses Shivanna's home was a perfect location to launch Prime Minister NarendraModi'sSwachBharath campaign as it was completely littered.“

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