Clinton says he’s crazy about mangoes, laps up what Ashok chefs dish out…

Clinton was amused when it was mentioned that the ashoka tree next to the Samadhi was planted by the then Yugoslavian President Marshal Tito.

CLINTON AT GANDHI SAMADHI: Clinton arrived 15 minutes early at the Samadhi and spent 30 minutes there, 10 minutes more than scheduled. In a departure from procedure, he left his Secret Service agents behind and moved freely at the Samadhi. “Thank you for keeping this sacred place,” Clinton wrote in the visitors’ book at the Samadhi. He told members of the Samadhi committee that he felt privileged to be at the resting place of a man whom he ardently admired. He said he admired Gandhi and Mandela.

A model charkha was presented to Clinton by the Rajghat Samadhi Committee. Clinton plied the charkha and was pleased when he was told that the saree Nirmala Deshphande, the Samadhi chairperson, was wearing was spun on the charkha.

CLINTON AND CHAMPA: Clinton proved himself to be somewhat of a horticulturist when he identified the sapling he was given to plant at Rajghat as Magnolia Grandie (Him Champa). It seems the fragrant tree blooms back in his hometown and a pair of them adorn the White House lawns as well.

In fact, Clinton turned out to be quite a plant lover. He spoke at length to horticulture officials at Rajghat about the plant. Later, he spent some time admiring the gardens at Hyderabad House which are in full bloom now. He was even overheard telling officials that he didn’t feel like leaving the beautiful setting outside to go in for the talks.

CLINTON ALL BUT SAYS SLURP: The chefs at Ashok hotel must be mighty pleased with themselves. Clinton paid them quite a compliment by polishing off everything on his plate, including the pickles, at the Prime Minister’s luncheon. The empty plate was actually a wee bit embarrassing and waiters fumbled around unsusre whether to break protocol and offer their guest of honour a second helping. They resolved their dilemma by hurrying in with the desert.

CHELSEA’S READ GANDHI: Chelsea surprised the members of the Samadhi Committee and Clinton himself when she told them that she had read Gandhi’s autobiography, My Experiments with Truth. The book was among the many items gifted to Clinton.

TDP PUTS FAIR FACE FORWARD: Telugu Desam’s Rajya Sabha MP, Jayapradha, raised several eyebrows this morning when she took her place in the ceremonial line-up for President Clinton at Rashtrapati Bhavan. It seems TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu decided a fair face should represent him at the Clinton mela in the Capital. Poor Yerran Naidu, who leads the party in Parliament, was thus deprived of the honour of shaking hands with the world’s most powerful man.

Incidentally, there must be something with Andhra and Clinton. Because the only other woman who found a place in the lineup despite not having protocol status was former TDP MP-turned-Congress MP from AP, Renuka Chowdhury.

INDIAN LENSMEN CRY FOUL: Indian photographers covering Clinton’s pilgrimage to Rajghat were at the receiving end from securitymen. They were stripped of their cellphones, pagers and even cigarettes. By itself, this is not unusual only that their counterparts from the US strolled in nonchalantly with cellphones in their hands and pagers on prominent display. No amount of argument convinced the Indian security which seemed determined to mete out secondclass treatment to their countrymen right here in the heart of the Capital.

VAJPAYEE TO SPEAK IN HINDI: Samajwadi chief and Hindi fanatic Mulayam Singh can attend tomorrow’s function at Parliament House with an easy mind. Vajpayee, it seems, will make his speech to the joint sitting of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha in Hindi. Today, Mulayam theatened to boycott the function if Vajpayee spoke in English. The Leftists have already decided not to attend.