PM's joy ride in a house-boat

By Our Staff Reporter

KUMARAKOM, DEC. 29. After staying indoors for three days on account of rain, the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today ventured out, taking a boat ride on the tranquil waters of Lake Vembanad.

The Prime Minister, who had a busy schedule in the morning meeting people's representatives from the area, joined his family for the ride on Vaikuntom, one of the largest house-boats in operation in Lake Vembanad. The double-decked house boat has 10 double bedrooms in the lower deck and a grand buffet hall and a sitting room in addition to facilities for sun bath, on the upper deck.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by his adopted daughter, Ms. Namita, and grand daughter, Ms. Niharika, spend much of his time in the sitting room on the upper deck enjoying the breath-taking view of the serene waters. Mr. Vajpayee had lunch with Goan chicken, prawn chilli fry, padavalanga koottu (a preparation of long gourd), Kerala paratha, aalu-gobi masala, topped by a variety of desserts, including fruit salad and ice-creams on board Vaikuntom.

After his lunch, a beaming Mr. Vajpayee in spotless white kurta- dhoti and a tri-colour angavastra and wearing dark glasses came aboard Vaikuntom and waved to the media crew following him. Ms. Namita, summed up the cruise as `great' and expressed her desire to `return soon'.

The cruise flanked by Naval boats and securitymen on rubber dingis was piloted by a speed boat of the Kerala police. The Prime Minister's entourage was taken up to Paathiramanal island in Lake Vambanad.

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