The French first couple were visiting Fatehpur Sikri, a shrine to the Sufi saint Sheikh Salim Chishti, after they returned from a romantic dusk tour of the Taj Mahal, India's celebrated "monument to love" in Agra.
Their earlier visit had provoked protests and panic when thousands of tourists were forced to leave quickly so the Sarkozys could be alone at the monument.
After they reached Fatehpur Sikri on Sunday, they had a private audience with Muslim cleric Peerzada Rais Mian Chishti, the shrine's guardian, who told the president and his wife that it had been built by the childless Mughal emperor Akbar so that he might be blessed with a son. He was soon rewarded with his first son, Prince Salim, who later became Emperor Jahangir.
Since then the shine has become a last hope for millions of visitors praying for miracle cures, jobs, pregnancies and brides.
The cleric on Monday described "Begum Sarkozy" as an "extremely family orientated lady" and revealed how she had told him she too was praying for a son.
She and Mr Sarkozy had covered their heads with caps, walked barefoot to the shrine, and then placed rose petals on the saint's tomb before praying for a son.
As they listened to traditional Qawali devotional songs, the French first lady asked the cleric to pray for Aurélien, her nine year old son from her relationship with philosophy professor Raphael Enthoven, and "pray that I have another". President Sarkozy has three children from his previous marriage. The cleric tied two threads around her wrist, and blew on it to help their wish come true.
"They were told Mughal Emperor Akbar was blessed with a son after praying at the shrine. They tied a thread and Carla asked me to pray so that she has a son. Before leaving, both of them again asked me to pray at the shrine to bless them with a son," he told The Daily Telegraph
Courtesy via The Daily Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/8184226/Carla-Bruni-prayed-for-a-son-while-at-Indian-shrine.html
Since then the shine has become a last hope for millions of visitors praying for miracle cures, jobs, pregnancies and brides.
The cleric on Monday described "Begum Sarkozy" as an "extremely family orientated lady" and revealed how she had told him she too was praying for a son.
She and Mr Sarkozy had covered their heads with caps, walked barefoot to the shrine, and then placed rose petals on the saint's tomb before praying for a son.
As they listened to traditional Qawali devotional songs, the French first lady asked the cleric to pray for Aurélien, her nine year old son from her relationship with philosophy professor Raphael Enthoven, and "pray that I have another". President Sarkozy has three children from his previous marriage. The cleric tied two threads around her wrist, and blew on it to help their wish come true.
"They were told Mughal Emperor Akbar was blessed with a son after praying at the shrine. They tied a thread and Carla asked me to pray so that she has a son. Before leaving, both of them again asked me to pray at the shrine to bless them with a son," he told The Daily Telegraph
Courtesy via The Daily Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/8184226/Carla-Bruni-prayed-for-a-son-while-at-Indian-shrine.html
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