Jayalalithaa's birthday was a celebration of obsequiousness as AIADMK leaders and cadres vied with each other to praise their 'Amma' in novel ways.
CHENNAI: February 24 could well be named Sycophants' Day in Tamil Nadu. At least when J Jayalalithaa is in power.
Friday, Jayalalithaa's birthday, was a celebration of obsequiousness as AIADMK leaders and cadres - their eyes unwaveringly on an Assembly seat - vied with each other to praise their 'Amma' in novel ways.
TP Chakkaravarthi, a Hindi tutor from Chennai, has been collecting photographs of Jayalalithaa and has made 5,400 greeting cards with a different picture of her in each of them. Chakkaravarthi says: "I would be honoured if she gave me the post of the party public speaker. I presented her an album of 18,000 photographs of hers in 2004." Chakkaravarthi wished through his cards that deities of 5,400 temples to whom he had prayed would bless her.
Sakkubai, a former AIADMK legislator from Gummidipoondi, has been performing a bizarre ritual for the last 18 years on Jayalalithaa's birthday. She walked around the Periyapalayam Bhavaniamman temple wearing only neem leaves. "I will continue doing it every year till my death," she says.
Amid indications that a majority of them would not get a party ticket this time, AIADMK ministers worked over time to get into Jayalalithaa's good books. While rural industries minister B Valarmathi gave away silver anklets to all babies born at the KK Nagar government hospital on Friday, law minister D Jayakumar distributed gold rings and gift hampers to all babies born at the RSRM hospital. D Jayakumar also cut a massive 58 kg cake, signifying his leader's age.
At the famous Kapaleeshwarar temple in Chennai, AIADMK leaders gave 'kumkum' boxes and brass sculptures of goddess Kamakshi to 58 women.
Ten ministers pulled the Golden car of Kapaleeshwarar temple, while actors Vijayakumar, S V Sekar and Radha Ravi and SS Chandran along with AIADMK propaganda secretary OS Manian and MLA Sekar Babu pulled a silver chariot at the Kaligambal temple.
Bold and bizarre
A Hindi tutor has been collecting pictures of Jaya and has made 5,400 greeting cards with a different picture of her in each of them
A former AIADMK legislator walked around the Periyapalayam Bhavaniamman temple wearing only neem leaves
Ministers give away silver anklets to all babies born at a city hospital
Another cuts a massive 58 kg cake, signifying his leader's age
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