Obama is safe... from falling coconuts!

Gandhi museum, Mani Bhavan, does not want to take any chances with the law of gravity.
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Fearing that a coconut could decide to come down and land on a wrong head and leave them red-faced, authorities of the two-storey building where Gandhiji stayed when in Mumbai, yesterday got the local civic ward to pick coconuts from four trees right outside the bhavan situated on Laburnum Road.

Laburnum Road is an avenue dotted with quite a few coconut trees. The bhavan is on US President Barack Obama's itinerary during his impending visit.


A civic worker picks coconuts from the tree located right outside Mani Bhavan on Laburnum Road yesterday

"All security men will be standing outside Mani Bhavan. So, to pre-empt any mishap, we requested the ward officer to have the branches removed," said Executive Secretary of Mani Bhavan, Meghshyam Ajgaonkar.

Around 10-15 coconuts were picked from the trees outside, "The branches kept falling off. So we thought it would be better to get them removed," said Ajgaonkar.

Police officials and US security officials have been doing the rounds of Mani Bhavan over the last few days.
While some of the coconuts were sold, the workers feasted on the remaining booty.

"We didn't want the coconuts, and we were not interested in what they did with them," said Ajgaonkar. "They also gave a good scrubbing to the entire road."

Meanwhile, the police are browsing through all books in the library at Mani Bhavan as well as setting them up properly to ensure that any of the shelves does not give way, especially during Obama's visit.

The officials are constantly checking each and every room at Mani Bhavan.

"We don't interfere with their work. Every step they take is a matter of precaution," Ajgaonkar said.u00a0
While on duty, the cops are getting a whiff of history.

"I get to know about Gandhiji while I'm on duty. I take a look at the pictures.
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When I saw the picture of Gandhiji being shot with hands joined, it gave me goosebumps," said an official from Gamdevi police station who was on duty at the bhavan.

Around Mani Bhavan

"The tour of the bhavan should take the US President half an hour at most. We do not know if he will be here for long," said Ajgaonkar. "Trustee Vasant Pradhan and Gandhiji's granddaughter Usha Gokani will greet Mr Obama. He will be shown around the bhavan by Honorary Secretary Dr Usha Thakkar."

"As usual, we will keep flowers so that he can shower them on the Mahatma's statue. Mr Obama will be shown the library, the picture gallery and the exhibition gallery," said Ajgaonkar. "He will also be taken to the Mahatma's room inside which no one is usually allowed."

While visitors can view the room through a glass partition, Obama will visit the room.

There will be a minimum staff presence during Obama's visit. "Security agencies have told us not to gift him anything. We would have loved to gift him a charkha or the three monkeys," said Ajgaonkar.
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"We will give him a book or two on Gandhian thought. The President, who is a follower of Gandhiji, must have read his autobiography."

Mani Bhavan has been flooded with calls from nearby residents, requesting a brief meeting with the President.

Yoga for Prez

"One of them was an 85-year-old man who wanted to demonstrate a few yoga postures to the President," said Ajgaonkar.

"There are many others who have been calling up, but we have had to pass up their requests. Even trustees of Mani Bhavan are not getting an opportunity to meet him."