New Delhi, Nov 12: An ethereal setting for an earthly beauty. The misty mountains and breath-taking green vales played host to one of the world's most watched women -- Anna Kournikova was there. Right where Ash likes to spend her weekends. By Tuesday evening, all eyes were fixed firmly on Amby Valley near Lonavla, where the Russian tennis star was accorded a traditional welcome almost at the break of dawn. Then she slept, while everyone waited for the next darshan. That came only at 4 pm.
Clearly the overwhelming attention and a long drive through the night had taken its toll. Anna had read through most of her journey, and was tired when she reached her destination.
That did not keep the 22-year-old athletic beauty from dancing to drumbeats and wanting to try on the ghagra cholis and other Indian costumes. The mehndi , bangles and bindi too fascinated her.
A spokesman of Sahara group, which has brought the hearthrob to India for the first time, told timesofindia.com that Kournikova after her breakfast slept till about 4:30 in the evening. The chalets amidst the misty mountains and breath-taking green vales probably would have received such an ethereal touch before, only when Aishwarya Rai stayed in one of them.
The tennis star has shown keen interest in the Amby valley and "in due course there could be some long term association with Kournikova with the project," Abhijeet Sarkar, the spokesman said from the valley.
Earlier, Kournikova, who hit headlines more for looks, insisted that she be taken to the Amby valley straight from the Mumbai airport after she landed from Thailand at around 3:30 am.
Authorities had earlier planned to put her in a hotel in Mumbai till morning and then take her to the valley by a chopper.
"But she preferred to be driven straight," Sarkar said and she felt very comfortable going by car.
She is expected to stay in the valley for the next four days. However, the spokesman refused to divulge any more details.