'Kem cho, Majama', the Gujarati way of greeting, was heard at the Rashtrapati Bhavan's forecourt where Narendra Modi was sworn-in as 15th Prime Minister of the country this evening.
As the guests and media persons were braving the heat in front of 'Jaipur Column' of the forecourt, BJP leader and now a cabinet minister Ravi Shankar Prasad arrived at the media enclosure and greeted the journalists in Gujarati.
'Kem cho, Majama means how are you, fine'.
BJP leader and MP Shatrugan Sinha was also greeted like this as he walked past the media enclosure.
With the former Gujarat Chief Minister taking oath as the Prime Minister, there was a sizeable number of guests from the state at the ceremony. Officials put their number at anywhere between 800 to 1,000 of the 4,000.
The entire Gujarat cabinet and business community was present at the ceremony.
Rashtrapati Bhavan had made elaborate arrangements which, however, crumbled under the rush of people.
The seating capacity of 4,000 overshot and many senior officials, journalists and even newly-elected Parliament Members were left without any seats.
Diplomats from 60 countries, who had been invited for the first time for swearing-in ceremony, were trying to capture the function on their smart phones.
As water coolers had been placed for visitors to beat the peak summer heat, Rashtrapati Bhavan officials had also placed mosquito coils to shoo away mosquitoes from the place.
Gujarat's 'Dokla', made from rice and chickpea splits, was served to the guests after the 105-minute long ceremony held in the forecourt.
Ambulances drawn from Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS) had been placed at various points.
