L K Advani’s Bharat Suraksha Yatra is politically not as marvellous as his Ram Janambhoomi Yatra of 16 years ago. But now that he is 16 years older, he does attract sympathy from the crowds on that single count.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in fact introduced Advani in some dozen meetings as the “old man” who is worried about “national security".

Even his detractors' heart would melt to see the 78-year-old atop his rath and addressing people in nooks and corners of the countryside under a scorching sun that can blister his bald head.

His tenacity to bear with all kinds of physical odds while touring in the rath is not just surprising, but evokes sympathy.

Everyday, between 10.30 am and 10 pm, every 30 minutes he gets up from his seat, goes up to the top the rath and addresses people for anywhere from five to 15 minutes. Everything goes according to plan normally, but the summer factor remains the biggest odd.

In a day around four to five public meetings are held for which he alights from the rath, otherwise he addresses the people from the top of the rath.

So far, in Gujarat and Maharashtra, his party machinery has worked overtime to make sure that Advani gets the crowds. Although most of the people at the meetings are his party cadres, Advani knows that onlookers and even his own cadres must recognize him and identify with him.

For this he never wears a cap on his head while standing on top of the rath, even between noon and 5-30 pm, when the Indian summer is at its peak. He does not cover his head or face with a scarf or his palm.

His colleagues claimed that while having a people to people contact in such yatras, the "voters" must “recognize” their leader without difficulty so Advani bears the Indian sun without complaint.

But Advani’s daughter Partibha has no such compulsions. She is not a politician, true, but it  seems she doesn’t want to “identify” with the people either. Although rumours have been rife for many years that she is "interested" in a political career, neither she nor Advani has given any such indication.

While accompanying her father on the Suraksha Yatra she wears attractive diamond ear-rings, sports colours on her hair, and wears stylish clothes all of which add to her sophistication. In fact, at a meeting near Dakor in Gujarat, a farmer pointed to her and asked, 'Who is that heerewali? ( who is that diamond studded person?)'

For understanding the Indian psyche especially when it comes to small things in life, kudos to Advani.