Outside Apollo: Praying for a miracle

Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar spent Monday outside the Apollo hospital, Chennai, along with hundreds of AIADMK supporters praying for Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's health.

Early in the morning on Monday there were more policemen than civilians outside the Apollo hospital, Chennai, where Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is being treated after a cardiac arrest.

It had rained intermittently in the night, but that did not deter Amma's supporters who had kept an all-night vigil outside the hospital.

Many of the people gathered there were the same people one had met on November 8; in fact, many of them have stationed themselves outside the hospital right from September 22, when Jayalalithaa was first admitted to the hospital.

Looking at the crowds, you realise that party faithfuls too march on their stomach, and there was a mini industry of sorts all around dishing out various food items.

There was a vendor selling hot dosas by the dozen, another vendor offered omelettes, there was a chaiwallah doing such brisk business that he had to keep going back for replenishments.

If all this gives you the impression of a festive spirit outside the hospital, you cannot be more wrong.

Te mood was somber and sad, the people clearly worried about what will happen to their beloved chief minister.

As the sun rose in the sky, the AIADMK cadres started arriving in strength on foot, and the ministers in their huge cars flying the tricolour.

Next came the MLAs in smaller cars but with a sticker that identified them as a member of the legislative assembly. They were all allowed into the hospital unlike the party cadres.

Cars sporting the AIADMK flag of twin leaves ferried party leaders.

Tamil movie comedian Gundu Kalyanam, a fixture at the hospital, was around on Monday as well, looking depressed. When reporters approached him all he had to say was, "We want our Amma to come back," looking like he would burst into tears any moment.

Elsewhere the women folk, unarguably Jayalalithaa's biggest supporters, were wailing, their sobs peaking whenever the television cameras focused on them.

The men were stoic but you could see the sorrow in their eyes. They had lost all hope, but yet hoped for a miracle.

For her party workers Jayalalithaa's feats are no less than miraculous.

Like when she led her party to an unexpected second consecutive win in the assembly elections in May this year.

Or the time in 2014 when she bagged 37 out of 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu when she resolutely resisted the Narendra Modi wave that swept the rest of the country.

The police had expected large crowds on Monday and had accordingly come prepared with plenty of rope which they used to cordon off the area, restricting movement to the pavements.

On Sunday the surging crowds had filled Greams road, forcing traffic to a standstill. The police were determined to not let that happen on Monday, and succeeded too. They were up against a grieving crowd, they were firm but never harsh with anyone.

There were many elderly women who could hardly walk, but who nevertheless made the trip to the hospital.

They believe if they just stood outside the hospital soon Jayalalithaa would emerge and give them darshan.

Many of them had been there overnight, and tears rolled down their cheeks as they spoke of their fondness for Amma.

All through the day there was no news from the ministers and MLAs who were inside the hospital nor did they come out.

The mood all around was sad but the people sounded positive, sure that Amma has had surgery and she was better. She would come out fine was the belief, the hope.

Miracle was the word on the street, and that's what the cadres too want.

Would fate relent under pressure from so many?

IMAGE: AIADMK workers, who had gathered in large numbers outside the Apollo hospital after news of her cardiac arrest broke, braved midnight rains and continued to wait outside, praying for the recovery of 'Amma' (mother), as she is fondly called by her supporters. Photograph: A Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com