Mayoral rivals woo voters with sweets and 'play' in Indore

Politics is the game of turning occasions into opportunities. This was amply proved when mayoral candidates of the Congress and the BJP went an extra mile to catch voters' attention in Indore.

Politics is the game of turning occasions into opportunities. This was amply proved when mayoral candidates of the Congress and the BJP went an extra mile to catch voters' attention in Indore which goes to civic polls on Janaury 31.

The occasion was Makar Sankranti and the opportunity was to distribute sweets to woo voters or play gilli-danda to draw people's attention.

Congress party candidate Archana Jaiswal distributed sesame and jaggery laddoos to commuters at Rajwada in the morning. Those present were city Congress president Pramod Tandon, ex-MP Sajjan Singh Verma and others.

She then boarded a bus from Rajwada to Palasia and then from Palasia to Press Complex. She interacted with passengers specially women to know their problems.

BJP's mayoral candidate and party MLA Malini Gaud played gilli-danda with party workers behind Shrinath garden in Dwarkapuri which falls in assembly constituency number four which she represents. After taking part in festivities, she left for electioneering in her constituency.

Kites zoom high in the sky

The clear blue sky seemed to beckon everyone even as people surrendered to the joy of kite flying to mark Makar Sankranti on Thursday. City skyline appeared dotted as kites in varied hues, shapes and sizes darted across the azure blue.

Youngsters struggled for supremacy in the sky while elders visited temples, made offerings to Lord Sun with water and flowers and donated alms. Since Indore is home to families that have settled from all parts of India, the communities celebrated it differently.

Nevertheless, kite flying, recipes prepared from sesame, rice and jaggery and seeking blessings from deities and elders were part of festivities. Besides, a large number of families headed to Ujjain, Omkareshwar for the holy dip and perform puja at the two Jyotirlings.

In Maharashtrian homes, people exchanged multi-coloured tilkuts made from sesame seeds and sugar and til-laddus made from sesame and jaggery. Til-polis were offered for lunch.

Gujaratis celebrated it with sesame dishes, khichri (rice and lentils) which were also given in alms. Families from UP, Rajasthan, Odisha and Bihar celebrate Sankranti in similar manner.

People from Andhra, TN and Kerala celebrated Sankranti known as Pongal. Rice and pulses cooked together in ghee and milk was offered to the family deity after worship of Sungod.