50K fans do Ramlila Maidan at India Gate

Wearing an oversized Nehru cap, the tricolour painted on his cheeks and riding on the shoulders of his father while shouting Vande Mataram, seven-year-old Lakshya Malhotra had no idea why his parents had brought him to India Gate but he was enjoying every minute of it. HT reports.

Wearing an oversized Nehru cap, the tricolour painted on his cheeks and riding on the shoulders of his father while shouting Vande Mataram, seven-year-old Lakshya Malhotra had no idea why his parents had brought him to India Gate but he was enjoying every minute of it.

"What is happening around us is historic and we wanted him to be a part of it," said his father Aakash, a resident of Pitampura.

As the 13-day long fast of Anna Hazare ended, India Gate replaced Ramlila Maidan as the scene of action on Sunday evening. The celebrations were scheduled to begin at 6pm but thousands of Delhiites started pouring in much earlier with more than 50,000 people congregated at the memorial at any given point of time.

From toddlers in perambulators to senior citizens with walking sticks, Delhiites joined the celebrations cutting across age, gender and class.

Some held placards and chanted slogans occasionally, while many youngsters broke into impromptu dancing, moving to the tunes of dholaks and music played by Sohan band from Kotla Mubarakpur. Almost everyone, however, made it a point to get their pictures clicked by mobile phones with India Gate and the celebrations in the background.

Also, the crowd veered mainly towards the eastern side of India Gate where cameras of news channels were placed.

"Though I believe most people here don't know the nitty gritties of the Lokpal Bill, we all support the movement," said retired government employee Om Prakash Verma.

A celebratory rally was also taken around the C Hexagon with people on motorbikes, cars and open trucks, raising slogans and waving the national flag.