A man from Uttar Pradesh rode a scooter, another flew in from Tamil Nadu while some travelled by trains and buses to reach the Capital in order to pay their last respects to Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Separated by distance, these supporters were united by their admiration for the former Prime Minister, who died on Thursday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after prolonged illness.
Not alone in their endeavour, they found thousands of others who had come to the city to pay their homage.
Aakash Kumar (25) who came from UP’s Baghpat, said: “I was probably in Class III or IV when I heard one of his speeches and was drawn towards him. I really like his poems. My favourite is Kaal ke Kapaal pe Likhta Aur Aitaata Hoon .”
Chinnaiah Nadesan (45) and his friend Ganesan (38) took a flight from Chennai on Thursday night to reach Delhi.
After landing, they headed straight to Krishna Menon Marg — Vajpayee’s residence — where his mortal remains were kept for people to pay their last respects.“ Achcha [good] politician, achcha parliamentarian, pure man,” he said.
Amid sultry weather conditions, thousands also walked along the seven-km-long route from the BJP headquarters to the Smriti Sthal, where Mr. Vajpayee’s last rites were performed.
Standing outside the BJP headquarters, Aakash Kumar said he had been waiting for hours to see Mr. Vajpayee for the last time. “The flowers I have brought have dried up in this heat,” he said.
Accompanied by his wife, Kumar said he had also brought the holy Ganga water from Gangotri for the former Prime Minister.
Yogesh Kumar (52) who came from Uttarakhand with a group of people, covered a distance of nearly 500 km overnight.
“I met Vajpayee ji in 1984 when he visited Uttarkashi en route to Gangotri. He visited the town once again in 1986,” Kumar said, displaying a photograph of him with Mr. Vajpayee.
