Sriperumbuthur waited with bated breath.
Men, Women, and children
Waited for hours to catch a glimpse of him.
The town was usually calm, but that day was an exception.
It was teeming with the excitement of it's people.
The usually ignored roads were bedecked with party flags and flowers.
Police officers pacing restlessly with their crackling Walkie talkies.
Party officials reassuring if all arrangements were properly made.
There was tension at the scene.
It was the third week of May,1991
After a long wait, a distant wail of sirens resonated.
For once, the sound of humanity hushed.
It was quarter to ten .
An array of cars screeched to a halt with proud howling red orbs on each one of them.
It was a white ambassador. Sturdy and robust.
He got down to break the silence.
All at once people swarmed around him.
Officials, Reporters and other people,
Bombarded him with garlands, flowers and bouquets.
Smilingly he received them all.
He was on the way to the dias, his briskness contagious.
Midway approached a person.
She looked like any other sixteen year old kid
Her facial gesture like any other civilian.
Draped in a saffron salwar kameez and a smile.
She bent down in front of him.
"To touch his feet", thought everybody.
Little did they know about the RDX laden belt ,
That slithered around her waist like a venomous snake waiting to strike.
As she bent down, she knew there was no ascending required.
She knew the reason behind her smile.
For if you had looked closer, there was something cold about it.
A knowing smile.
It was 10:21PM.
