beyondbrics

By Ramlah Merchant and Stefan Wagstyl

Why’s he coming at Diwali? He wouldn’t host an official visit the White House on Christmas Day. So why’s he coming to India during our biggest festival?

So say many residents of Mumbai, where US president Barack Obama arrives late on Friday for a three-day trip to India. The privileged few who will meet the great man might be excited by the prospect. But for many Mumbaikers, Obama will get in the way of what they like best – a good party.
Fireworks, a highlight of any Diwali – after all, it is the festival of lights – will be banned in much of South Mumbai, where the president and his entourage will be based.

Stores around the venerable Taj Hotel, where the Obama crowd have taken all the rooms, have been security-checked and will be allowed to stay open. But few of their potential customers will want to negotiate the police cordons and make their traditional holiday trips to the South Mumbai seafront.

PNP Maritime Services, Maldar Catamarans and Ajanta Launches – boat companies providing tourist trips along the coast will be closed for three of their busiest days of the year. “Every year, business is at its peak during Diwali, but this time since Obama‘s visit coincides with the Diwali weekend we will suffer major losses,” a boat- ticket seller told beyondbrics.

Would-be passengers are less than happy. Showing no sign of the Obamamania, which accompanied the president on some of his earlier foreign trips, one disgruntled Mumbaiker says he has cancelled family plans for a boat trip to Alibag, a popular coastal resort.

“We had all planned to go to Alibag for the weekend to get away from the city and all the fireworks and noise during Diwali, but our plans have been completely ruined. We thought that we would have a quiet Diwali in Alibag.Those preparing Diwali feasts at home may have to go without some of their favourite dishes, with the city’s fishermen also banned for three days from coastal waters. “It’s difficult to imagine meals without fish,” student Divya Narvekar told the city’s Mid-day paper.

The city is been given a quick facelift, with workmen re-painting traffic markings along the roads which Obama may use (and some that he won’t to fool potential troublemakers). And around the city’s Gandhi Museum, which Obama is due to visit, palm trees have been shorn of their coconuts for fear that one might drop on the distinguished guest’s head.

The US president will doubtless be grateful for the care taken over his welfare. But given the Democrats’ drubbing in the mid-term elections, he probably has more to worry about than falling coconuts.