Holi in Patil's Rajasthan village, Diwali at her Maharashtra home

Residents of Choti Losal village in Rajasthan do not consider their village any more small after their daughter-in-law Pratibha Patil today got elected as country's first woman President.

Though the 13th presidential poll witnessed the defeat of another Rajasthani, Bhairon Singh Sekhawat, people of this small hamlet, located 150 kilometres from Jaipur, have full support for her daughter-in-law who came to be associated with this place on July 7, 1965 after marrying to Devisingh Shekhawat.

Elaborate preparations were in place since today morning and DJ's were called in to add music to the celebration. As the day progressed and news of Patil's leadings started pouring in, unseasonal wave of Holi festival hit the villagers as they started throwing coloured powders (gulal) on each other.

Amidst folk songs and churning of latest Hindi movie songs by the DJ's, people celebrated Patils's victory, and also expressed hope that she would be able to pay attention to the development of the village.

Hundreds of mile away from Choti Losal, in one of the remote villages in Jalgaon in Maharashtra people celebrated with firecrackers and drumbeats for their daughter Patil's victory.

Ecstatic with their 'daughter's' victory, who is now a grandmother, residents of Bodhwad tehsil, distributed sweets and burst crackers.

Since morning, girls in the schools here performed cultural dance and crooned songs in praise of Patil.

A procession march was taken out in Jalgaon where people termed Patil's election to the country's top post as a proud day for the people of Maharashtra.

With no signs of any resentment against Patil's family member in the wake of allegations of fraud and murder against them, the residents of Jalgaon extended their celebration late till the evening. Candles were lit and firecrackers illuminated this small town. eanwhile, Congress party headquarters in Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Hyderabad also basked in celebrations with sounds of drumbeats and firecrackers. (ANI)

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