By Anil Sharma
IANS
Sikar (Rajasthan) : A village here burst into celebrations when it heard of state Governor Pratibha Devisingh Patil's candidature for presidency. For, the residents of Chota Losal, she is its daughter-in-law.
The village, about 150 km from state capital Jaipur, in Sikar district is the ancestral hometown of her in-laws.
Patil was married to Devisingh Ransingh Shekhawat July 7, 1965. Even though Devisingh's family migrated to Vidarbha in Maharashtra more than a century ago, people in Chota Losal are praying for her.
A day after the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) declared Patil its presidential candidate, womenfolk could be heard singing the folk song "mangal geet" Friday.
"She is our bahu (daughter-in-law). She has done us proud. We want her to be president," resident Kiran Kanwar said. "We will continue to sing these songs till she becomes president."
Excited villagers were already beating drums and bursting firecrackers.
"If she wins, we will celebrate with colours, like we do on Holi festival," said another resident Pushpa.
Children were praying for the "grandma" while the elderly believe Patil has brought honour to the entire village.
"She has made this village famous. We have a population of around 3,500-4,500 people and all of us are very happy," said Sugam Singh, who is 70 years old.
Prem Kanwar, the sarpanch of the village, said: "It is celebration time for us. The entire village will be lit up with 'diyas' (earthen lamps) when she becomes president.
"We will invite her to the village and give her a traditional welcome when she comes here after becoming president," he said.
Youths in the village that is dominated by Rajput community feel she would bring development to the area.
"We are hopeful that the entire area will get a facelift after she becomes president. We require a lot of development and I am confident she will do it," said Suresh, a teenager.