Colour coordinated clothes, chaupai, tilaks and taabeez... Netas look for divine blessings

‘Taabeez’ and ‘tikas’ will be worn, ‘mantras’ recited and ‘diyas’ lighted. As Uttarakhand holds election to the 70-seat assembly on Wednesday, politicians across the spectrum will make every attempt to seek divine intervention for success on March 11

Dehradun: ‘Taabeez’ and ‘tikas’ will be worn, ‘mantras’ recited and ‘diyas’ lighted. As Uttarakhand holds election to the 70-seat assembly on Wednesday, politicians across the spectrum will make every attempt to seek divine intervention for success on March 11.

Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi, who coordinates colour of his clothes according to week days, says, “Since it (polling day) is a Wednesday, I will be wearing a green jacket.”(HT Photo)

For BJP’s Subodh Uniyal, a former Congress MLA contesting on his home turf Narendranagar, the yellow colour is a tried-and-tested good luck charm. “I’ll be keeping a yellow handkerchief with me when I cast my vote,” he says. Also following the ‘colour code’ is Mussoorie MLA Ganesh Joshi, who coordinates colour of his clothes according to days in a week. “Since it (polling day) is a Wednesday, I will be wearing a green jacket,” the BJP leader says.

Senior BJP leader and Didihat MLA Bishan Singh Chuphal will begin his day by lighting a ‘diya’ (earthen lamp) in his temple and follow that by smearing a special ‘tika’ on his forehead for invoking divine blessings.

Three-time MLA from Dharampur and cabinet minister Dinesh Agarwal will make a quick visit to the Sai Baba temple in Dehradun before heading towards his polling booth. “I don’t believe in any ‘totkebazi’ (superstition)…my only ‘shraddha’ (faith) is in the Almighty.”

For BJP’s Subodh Uniyal, a former Congress MLA contesting on his home turf Narendranagar, the yellow colour is a tried-and-tested good luck charm (HT Photo)

BJP MLA from Khatima, Pushkar Singh Dhami will seek blessings from his parents before proceeding to vote. “I’ll also visit Purnagiri Mata temple in our area on my way to cast vote,” he says.

Congress’ Suryakant Dhasmana, who is fighting from Dehradun Cantt seat against BJP’s seven-time MLA Harbans Kapoor, will recite a ‘chaupai’ (quatrain) of Ramcharitamanas. “Whenever I step out for any ‘shubh karya’ (auspicious work), I do so by always reciting the ‘chaupai’ to invoke Lord Ram and seek his divine blessings.”

Rajkumar, the Congress MLA from Rajpur Road, will keep a special ‘taabeez’ (locket) of Devi Maa with him. Congress

Pushkar Singh Dhami seeks parents’ blessings before proceeding to vote. (HT Photo)

MLA from Srinagar, Ganesh Godiyal, is unlike his colleagues. “I believe that every moment is lucky, as long as one has a clear conscience and intent,” he asserts.

And, meanwhile, some candidates have approached astrologers to know the ‘lucky time’ for casting votes. “The ‘sarvarth sidhhi yog’ (an auspicious period) on February 15 is till 11:32am so we’re suggesting them to cast votes before that,” Dehradun-based astrologer Sushant Raj discloses. “We’re also advising the candidates to carry a green color cloth (being a Wednesday), step out of home with the right foot first and perform a ‘surya namaskar’ (salutation to the sun god) before stepping out.”

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