How leaders like Priyanka Gandhi, Smriti Irani and others deal with hectic campaigning in the scorching heat
By Vasudha Venugopal, ET Bureau, 10 May, 2014, 04.57AM IST, Source – Economic Times
Keeping cool and looking good isn't easy and there's no one solution.
If for some the secret is more water, for others it's less.
Some stick to fruit, others cut out oil.
Also on the list: Cotton wear, wet wipes, sunscreen.
LUCKNOW: Howdoes Priyanka Gandhi manage to look fresh after long days of hectic campaigning in the high heat of the Indian summer? And it's not just her — Smriti Irani, Hema Malini, Khushboo Sundar, Gul Panag and Nagma have all had to fight the heat, dust and grime of the poll trail as they engaged with voters in intense electoral battles across the country.
Keeping cool and looking good isn't easy and there's no one solution. If for some the secret is more water, for others it's less. Some stick to fruit, others cut out oil. Also on the list: Cotton wear, wet wipes, sunscreen. Another must have: comfortable footwear. That also means carrying at least five pairs on a month-long campaign. Also keeping bodies cool and faces glowing are curd, cool water and eye-coolant.
DMK's Khushboo Sundar says she doesn't drink much water while campaigning in Tamil Nadu. "There are hardly any decent toilets on the outskirts. Hence, I keep my water intake low." Instead, she keeps a stock of fresh cucumber ready to be cut and eaten while on the move. "That way my body remains hydrated," said the actress-turned-politician. Make-up is strictly avoided.
"I don't use cream or foundation while campaigning because of the heat. But kaajal is a must. Also, I keep washing my face often, or wipe it whenever possible to look fresh." Another actress-turnedpolitician, Nagma, who's the Congress candidate in Meerut, stocks up on electrolytes. "Also, because of the dust, my eyes tend to get very tired, so I carry eye coolant or a cap with me all the time." Gul Panag, the AAP candidate in Chandigarh and another actress-turned-politician, uses a mild sunscreen.
Most importantly, Panag wears a comfortable kurta and jeans. Also, "I manage to go on a run every day to keep the energy level high." Hema Malini, who used to be one of India's biggest movie stars and is the BJP candidate in Mathura, attributes her campaigning stamina to her rigorous yoga training.
"Madam doesn't leave anywhere before she is done with an hour of pranayama. She fasts twice a week, even when on the trail, limiting her diet to fruits and a few light paneer items," said an associate
"She changes saris whenever there is a place to do so. This time she had a huge collection of light pink and red saris." Among the essentials in her car is an icebox full of water bottles and a big can of butter milk.
As far as Amethi BJP candidate Smriti Irani is concerned, nimbu paani without sugar does the trick. The TV star-turned-politician has been running a hectic campaign through Amethi's villages in the past few days in a bid to blunt the campaign of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.
"She keeps biscuits and fruits at hand, but sumptuous quantities of lime juice. Whenever we near a meeting venue, she brushes her hair and touches up her face a little," said a person close to her.
Priyanka Gandhi is not too fussy, said a close associate. She broke her sandals during her padayatra in Rae Bareli and gleefully slipped into a pair of Hawai chappals that a little boy got from a shop nearby.
"She is totally against wearing sunglasses while in Amethi and Rae Bareli because she thinks it will distance people from her," this person said. When travelling to meetings, which were mostly in remote villages, she packed a couple of vegetarian rolls, some fruit or the regular sabzi-roti from the guesthouse where she was staying.
She also meditates and does yoga to beat stress, but not in Amethi or Rae Bareli, where she is campaigning for 18 hours everyday, which includess at least 10 on the road. On long trips, she's known to carry books to keep her company. Her brother caused some surprise in Amethi among longstanding Rahul Gandhi watchers.
"We never expected him to be clad in a white kurta pyjama all the four days he was in Amethi. Earlier it would always be a kurta over a pair of jeans," said a party member. On the campaign trail, Rahul is said to avoid non-vegetarian food and is often seen discussing "analysis and ground reports" with his team of data researchers who accompany him in his car, said a person close to him.
"He is very fond of adventure sports and pets, especially his dogs whom he drives around whenever he is home even for a few days. But now he is mostly involved in work, and reads books on history and political affairs when he finds time," the person said.
BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is learnt to be missing out on his regular yoga session ever since campaigning began. He starts his day early with a simple breakfast such as poha or upma and depends a lot on nimbu paani to fight dehydration in the gruelling heat. He prefers to get back home to Gandhinagar every night after campaigning across the country and has a simple Gujarati meal for dinner.
Maintaining himself involves some shirodhara, an ayurvedic process in which liquids are dripped onto the forehead, and the occasional facial scrub, people close to him said.
(With inputs from DP Bhattacharya in Ahmedabad)