By IANS
Sikar (Rajasthan) : There was jubilant beating of drums and dancing at Choti Losal village here Saturday as hundreds of people celebrated the victory of daughter-in-law Pratibha Patil in the presidential election.
As news about Pratibha Devisingh Patil's victory spread, hundreds of people began converging on the village, the hometown of her in-laws.
All roads in the village, over 150 km from Jaipur, led to the chaupal or the main village centre where men and women gathered to dance to music played by a DJ, brought in specially for the occasion.
"I do not have words to describe how we are feeling. I am very happy that Pratibha has brought name and fame to this village. We plan to dance all through the night," Suresh Singh, a local resident, said.
The celebrations had in fact started much before the result was declared for the July 19 poll as her victory was a foregone conclusion.
Since morning, villagers were in an elated mood, animatedly discussing the poll and offering prayers. They threw gulal colours on each other, just as they would do on Holi, danced to the beat of victory drums and burst firecrackers.
Pratibha was married on July 7, 1965, to Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat, who belongs to Choti Losal. Devisingh's family had migrated to Amravati in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, more than a century ago.
"We have been praying for her win ever since her candidature was declared," said Savitri, a local resident.
The women sang folk songs sung for celebrations and also danced to a special Rajasthani song – 'Dadi Baniya Rashtrapati' (grand mother became president), coined specially for the occasion. "She is our bahu (daughter-in-law). She has done us proud," a villager, Kiran Kanwar, said.
Excited children were seen praying for 'grand ma' while the elderly were saying that their daughter-in-law had earned respect for the village.
"She has brought fame to this village. We have a population of around 3,500-4,000 and all are very happy for her," Sugam Singh, a 70-year-old villager, said.
"The entire village will be lit up by earthen lamps (diya) in the evening," Prem Kanwar, the village head, said. "We will now formally invite her to the village and give her a traditional welcome after she is sworn in," he said.
Her ancestral home in the village has been decked up. Villagers hope that she will bring lot of development to the area. "She will certainly give a face-lift to this village after she becomes president," Ramesh, a college-going student, said.