Fifty-eight years and six days after India became a Republic, her first-ever woman President Pratibha Patil visited Hampi, a UNESCO world heritage site that showcases the vicissitudes of the Vijayanagar empire. Accompanied by her husband, Devisingh Shekawat, Patil visited five monuments during a three-hour trip, listened to the musical notes emanating from the stone pillars of the Vijaya Vittala Temple, and wrote in the visitors’ book:
“Excellent man-made creation, which is still lively. It tells about the history, architectural beauty, music, belief, faith and continuity of life, where stones speak, spread music and give inspiration to future generations.”
That’s a mouthful to scribble in a few minutes, thank you, but the real object of note during the Rashtrapati’s visit was the Rashtrapati and the Rashtrapati’s pati. And a couple of scenes should have caught any discerning eye, besides of course the fact that the site was closed to visitors for almost three days, and 30 monkeys were nabbed to enable the first lady and gent get a hassle-free, unhindered view.
Scene 1 (above, left): Fawning officials carrying the umbrella for the lady. Yes, the President is the supreme commander. Yes, that’s one of the perks of being the President. But is an umbrella so heavy for a 74-year-old lady to carry it herself, when the commander-in-chief of the most powerful country in the solar system can carry it himself? In a democracy, and a Republic at that, can a President be a master with a retinue of servants at her disposal?
Scene 2: Television pictures of attendants helping the Rashtrapati and the Rashtrapati’s pati to put on their footwear after visiting the temples. What could be more demeaning than that? Even if the President has a problem in bending down and putting on her sandals or stilettoes or whatever it is she wears, what specific orthopaedic problem is her husband suffering from that a citizen of this country should help him put on his jhoothe?
These letters to the editor of Deccan Herald shine a lamp on Raisina Hill:
H. N. Ananda, Bangalore: It is shocking to see the picture of attendants helping President Pratibha Patil and her husband to wear their footwear. Do they need help to do this simple job? What sort of democratic spirit is Pratibha conveying through this? Our netas are worse than the royal brigade of yesteryear in shamelessly using the servants for such simple errands. What a contrast to her illustrious predecessors!
R. Krishnan, Bangalore: I would never have imagined that such indignity would be heaped on citizens of independent India where they have to “assist” fellow citizens to wear their footwear. Like the practice of including the maximum number of security guards along with them, the practice of having their footwear assistants accompany them may become another status symbol among our leaders!
Maybe, she’s spent too much time in Rajasthan where the feudal master-servant relationship is deeply ingrained to let go of a bad habit. Maybe, she has the disadvantage of always being compared with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam who used to bounce all over the place. But if Pratibha Patil wants to be seen as a Rashtrapati of the people, rather than as a stooge of 10, Janpath, a good first step would be to put on sandals herself. And politely telling her pati to do likewise.
Photographs: Karnataka Photo News
As my friend Ravi might quip, “Agrez chale gaye, per aulaad chhod gaye.”
Anyway, I don’t understand what’s so “deameaning” about helping an old couple with their footwear? I used to do it for my late grandfather all the time.
might be the said people are confused on which sandal to wear as they have 2 left foot
He he.. look what happens when the president holds the umbrella..It folds upwards..!
That, my dear friends, is the moral of the story.
Grow up, Mysore boy. There’s a difference between a grandson helping his grandpop and an attendant helping the President and her husband. Even if the attendant is there expressly for the purpose of slipping on the hawaii chappals of VVIPs, there is something offputtingly Indian about it.
In most western countries, it is routine to find Presidents and Prime Ministers carrying their own brief cases, Nobel laureates lugging their own box of papers. In the subcontinent, there is somebody to do everything. The firans all talk of being treated like maharajas when they are here, but is that necessarily feudal if somebody is being paid for it?
Somehow, I suspect churumuri’s brahmin hackles are raised by the leather part of the President’s slippers, revealing a distinct caste bias. But what if somebody helped Abdul Kalam to slip into his aviator suit when he flew the F-16. Is that OK?
its ok for someone to help the president and her husband to put on their slipper/shoes
ellinda hidkond bandrappa e-president na. a disgrace to the chair. dirty congress politics.
dont ever compare prathiba patil with the respectable kalam.
is it only me or can other ppl see the picture of the President getting help to put her sandals on??
I only see 2 images…where is the 3rd one?
All the President’s Men
Great post! Really liked it. More of this sort please.
And shame on you Mysore Boy for comparing a grandson helping the grand parents with the feudal practices of leaders in a democratic country. You may worship those practices and given a chance would like to practice it yourself but many of us abhor it and rightly so…If she thinks she needs grand children’s help she should have it from her grand children or stay at home. Please understand that often those carrying chappals and helping them wear are also older people..
Once I was shocked to see at Mysore DC’s residence an old police constable carrying the shoes of the DC who was of his grandson’ age from the car to the house. For some reason the DC saheb day chose to walk without the shoes from the portico to the house. This was in June 2005 – so you know Mysoreans who the DC was!
Back to the President – And there is more. Have read in Deccan Herald that the Governor briefed the Rashtrapathi’s pathi about the janata dharshan programme. What is the locus standi of the Rashtrapathi’s pathi to be briefed about an official exercise. Now mysore boy, don’t tell us it is ok because he is after all Rashtrapathi’s pathi…
“Somehow, I suspect churumuri’s brahmin hackles are raised by the leather part of the President’s slippers, revealing a distinct caste bias.”
I remember walking through customs in Bangalore air-port with a plastic bag containing chappals and books and the shock, horror and anger of one of the ‘officers’ when he checked the bag.
our Governor Rameshwar takur too has this disease. If grandsons can do it, let the president couple bring their grandsons/daughters to help them wear their sandals.
Don’t you think this is the reflection of our culture ? You see it in all levels – from local swamiji to Chief Minister.
A few years ago, I met a well known chennai-based Mridanga artist here in Chicago for the first time. He was one of my heroes. Within a few mins of conversation, he asked me to carry his Mridangam from his room to the stage! He was perfectly fit to carry not just one, in fact two mridangams! I was little dissappointed, but it all makes sense. :)
@kbengaloorappa
dudes…the DC in question was Kumar Naik…he is currently the Commissioner for Tourism…….shame to such officers…
my dad was once the DC of mysore for a day…he is now the MD of a big govt. enterprise…..good thing he didnt accept the transfer order as Mysore DC…..corrupt politicians!
kbengaloorappa and krishna,
Nannanna biTbiDi gurugaLe! The fact is we are all Pratibha Patil’s grandchildren. “Vasudaiva kutumbakam.” She is an elderly lady. Deve Gowda is an elderly man: Should we be surprised if people respect Deve Gowda’s age more than his character?
This is not feudalism, it is a reflection of our respectful culture which respects hierarchical wisdom (as presumed from age) more than ability.
The incidents that tbengaloorappa and TShetty cite are different from the one being discussed — they don’t involve age.
“Excellent man-made creation, which is still lively. It tells about the history, architectural beauty, music, belief, faith and continuity of life, where stones speak, spread music and give inspiration to future generations.”
Also, the distruction of those creation was excellent, in the name of Religion