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'Indira was my mother, my daughter'
Updated On: 30 October, 2009 08:18 AM IST | | Jayita Bandyopadhyay
Two decades after her death, Indira Gandhi is still a mass leader. Thousands pour into her memorial at 1, Safdurjung Road, to have a glimpse of her life. Jayita Bandyopadhyay joined the fanship
Two decades after her death, Indira Gandhi isu00a0still a mass leader. Thousands pour into her memorial at 1, Safdurjung Road, to have a glimpse of her life. Jayita Bandyopadhyay joined the fanship
Basanti Devi stands patiently under the noon sun, feet bare, wiping her lined forehead with the end of her once-white cotton sari. The queue moves slowly but the 60-plus woman doesn't complain. "I have come to the mandir of Indira. I need to be patient," said the woman, who has traveled all the way from Krishnagar in West Bengal. Standing behind, her 20-something grandson nods in silent agreement. "Debi thi woh, garibo ki debi (she was a goddess for the poor)" said the young man, whose calloused palms, now joined in a reverent namaste, indicated a farmer's life. It is no use reasoning with them that this is not a temple but the former residence of Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, turned into a memorial after her assassination on October 31, 1984.
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Indira plays with granddaughter Priyanka in this photo archived by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum (IGMM) |
That's the hold India's first woman prime minister has on the country's collective hearts even 25 years after her death; an unexplainable link that brings thousands from across the country to her memorial. Some come out of curiosity for India's unofficial First Family, while others come for a pilgrimage. "We get about 10,000 visitors
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People take a close look at the sari Indira was wearing when she was shot dead, at IGMM in Delhi   How do you like the new new mid-day.com experience? Share your feedback and help us improve. Read Next Story Trending StoriesLatest Photos |
