Search the Internet          Tips

Kalam's humility bowls over Rameswaram

Ganesh Nadar in Rameswaram

Mohammed Muthumeera street in Rameswaram is narrow. Only one car can fit in at a time and the President's limousine will have to go on a crash diet to squeeze in.

Walking down the cobbled street, you chance upon a nondescript house, with a nameplate that immediately rings a bell.

As you enter the 'House of Kalams', A P J Mohammad Muthumeera Labbai Maraicar, the eldest brother of A P J Abdul Kalam (the National Democratic Alliance presidential candidate), sitting on an old sofa and observing the early morning birds welcomes you.

Dressed in a faded lungi and vest, Maraicar gets irritated when asked what he wants from his brother.

"I am 85-years old, what do I need? Nothing. Everybody wants to know what I will ask my brother. I will not ask him anything," he bristles.

"I am the head of the house; have been so for many years after our father's death. Till he was studying we guided him, after his education it wasn't necessary to guide him for he was on the right path," Maraicar tells me, mellowing down.

One of the numerous hangers on crowding the entrance shouts across, "How long would he (Abdul Kalam) stay here?" and immediately anger clouds Maraicar's face again. "What do you mean how long will he will stay here? This is his house. I can't ask him that. He can stay as long as he likes. If he leaves in ten minutes I can't do anything. If he decides to stay the night I won't do anything. Why do you ask such questions?"

But the anger fades away, and soon enough he is chatting with two schoolteachers who request him to bring Kalam to the local school to spend '10 minutes with the kids'. "Where were you all these days? You could have told me this earlier. I would have written a letter to him to make time for you," Maraicar says. "I will tell him, but don't know whether he will have time."

Turning to me one of the schoolteachers whispers: "He (Kalam) is a good man, he comes here often. Even earlier many cars used to come to see him. Now more will come."

"The old man (Maraicar) too is good. The red cap man... we all call him the red cap man," she giggles.

By afternoon, a pristine white dhoti, a clean shirt and the famous red cap replace the faded lungi and the old vest, and Chinna Maraicar is eagerness personified.

Titbits of information keep trickling about Kalam's progress to his house. "He is already in Ramanathapuram (district headquarters)," someone tells Maraicar.

"I have told him to come here for lunch but he wanted to eat in Ramanthapuram itself in my daughter's house. I have a daughter there. We have made vegetarian food for him. He doesn't eat non-vegetarian food. I eat sometimes, but never when he is there. He doesn't like it," Maraicar turns around and tells me.

First the pilot jeep arrives, followed by the bomb detection and disposal squad and finally by the dog squad.

Though the people crowding the entrance insist that nobody except the family have access to the interiors of the house, the securitymen are determined to do their duty.

Every nook and cranny of the house is checked.

After a go ahead by the security team, Central Reserve Police Force soldiers take up positions outside the house.

A white Ambassador car finally brings Kalam to his house. Dressed in a dark blue shirt, his silvery hair blowing in the wind, Kalam greets all and sundry with a wide smile.

Shaking hands, accepting garlands, shawls and greetings, he makes his way to his house, followed by frantic members of the fourth estate. The securitymen try to play spoilsport, but Kalam immediately defuses the situation by allowing the journalists inside.

After a short photo session, Kalam finally shares time with elder brother and family members. The crowd outside refuses to budge, and Kalam's 30-minute 'vegetarian lunch' becomes public.

After lunch, the eager crowd is allowed to meet the President-to-be in batches. Priests, maulanas, granthis, nuns from the local convent, Kalam meets them all, ever-smiling and showing ceaseless patience.

At exactly 4 pm, Kalam decides to leave and again he is showered with garlands, flowers and shawls. He accepts all of them with rare grace and humility.

As the white Ambassador roars off into the distance, Maraicar is left fending off questions on what he would ask his brother, soon to be anointed as the First Citizen of India.

The 11th President of India: Complete Coverage

The Presidency: A Special Series

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report