A small stage jam-packed with people in joyful spirits despite not having eaten for days together, an enthusiastic young crowd swaying to the tunes of old patriotic songs and volunteers soaking themselves in the rains summed up the third day of the agitation in support of Anna Hazare. Everybody assembled at RBI square had a white Gandhi cap and a black ribbon indicating their support to the movement.
Many supporters had their faces and hands painted in the colours of the Indian flag,while many others sported slogans like 'I support Anna', 'Me Anna Hazare' and "Give us Jan Lokpal' tattooed with mehendi on their arms and palms.
Those who were observing fast were cheerily occupying the stage, some chatting amongst themselves, some others hooked on to their mobile phones. They all had their eyes on the latest new flash, monitoring the situation of the protest at the capital. Songs like 'Doosri Azadi' and a 'remix' of the famous 'Sabarmati ke Sant,' rewritten as 'Ralegan ke sant,' received an encore from the young students. Vandana Khushwaha was at the venue with her 18-month-old daughter Anshika and husband Ashish.
"My husband has taken a half-day leave from work. I was at my mother's place at Koradi. When he told me he is participating, I took a bus and reached here with my daughter," she said. Asked what she would do if the toddler turns cranky due to the crowd, she said she had come prepared with toys and chocolates to distract the child. "Anyway, she loves the tricolour and only the sight of it is enough to cheer her up," she said.
Kalpana Chinchkhede was busy painting the tricolour on to every face and hand that was extended towards her. "I came here on the first day with my own set of boxes and brushes, but as I got very good response, the organizers gave me a set of paint bottles," she said. Every day, she has been requested by at least 700 people to paint the flag onto them.
Pappan Gidwani, who was using mehendi to write slogans on people's hands, said, "This is one way of the protestors showing their allegiance to the cause even when they are not at the venue. I may have written on more than 15,000 hands by now."
The white board that has been put up for the protestors to express their views was filled. Some of the eyecatching ones were - 'UPA, Go back!', 'Sonia, prove to us that you are an Indian,' and 'Sibbal, tell us what are fundamental rights.' Other slogans raised were inspired by the latest Bollywood pot boiler, Dabangg.
A young lot was heard summing up their feelings: 'Wah re sarkar tera khel, Kasab ko biryani, Anna ko jail.'
Many supporters had their faces and hands painted in the colours of the Indian flag,while many others sported slogans like 'I support Anna', 'Me Anna Hazare' and "Give us Jan Lokpal' tattooed with mehendi on their arms and palms.
Those who were observing fast were cheerily occupying the stage, some chatting amongst themselves, some others hooked on to their mobile phones. They all had their eyes on the latest new flash, monitoring the situation of the protest at the capital. Songs like 'Doosri Azadi' and a 'remix' of the famous 'Sabarmati ke Sant,' rewritten as 'Ralegan ke sant,' received an encore from the young students. Vandana Khushwaha was at the venue with her 18-month-old daughter Anshika and husband Ashish.
"My husband has taken a half-day leave from work. I was at my mother's place at Koradi. When he told me he is participating, I took a bus and reached here with my daughter," she said. Asked what she would do if the toddler turns cranky due to the crowd, she said she had come prepared with toys and chocolates to distract the child. "Anyway, she loves the tricolour and only the sight of it is enough to cheer her up," she said.
Kalpana Chinchkhede was busy painting the tricolour on to every face and hand that was extended towards her. "I came here on the first day with my own set of boxes and brushes, but as I got very good response, the organizers gave me a set of paint bottles," she said. Every day, she has been requested by at least 700 people to paint the flag onto them.
Pappan Gidwani, who was using mehendi to write slogans on people's hands, said, "This is one way of the protestors showing their allegiance to the cause even when they are not at the venue. I may have written on more than 15,000 hands by now."
The white board that has been put up for the protestors to express their views was filled. Some of the eyecatching ones were - 'UPA, Go back!', 'Sonia, prove to us that you are an Indian,' and 'Sibbal, tell us what are fundamental rights.' Other slogans raised were inspired by the latest Bollywood pot boiler, Dabangg.
A young lot was heard summing up their feelings: 'Wah re sarkar tera khel, Kasab ko biryani, Anna ko jail.'
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