While most of the capital residents were in a mood to celebrate, those arriving in the town on Tuesday had a tough time in commuting because of diversions and traffic restrictions. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, March 22: It was hot and humid but people braved the scorching sun today to make a beeline at Gandhi Maidan to be a part of the state’s centenary celebrations. A few working outside Bihar went to the extent of extending their leave to be a part of the festivities.

Pushpa Singh, a professor based in Ranchi, came down to her home in the city during Holi. She was supposed to be back on Monday but chose to stay on, as she wanted to take her children to Gandhi Maidan and see the Bihar Divas festivities.

“It is just amazing, something huge. We chose to stay on for another day after observing the preparations. And I must say that my day was not wasted,” she said.

“It is a proud moment for Bihar. Our office is closed today. So we decided to come here early and be a part of the glory. The heat is not bothering us. We want to be here till late evening,” said 47-year-old Ankur Kumar Roy, a government employee who was at Gandhi Maidan with his family.

The stalls of the different state government departments thrilled the visitors and the aroma of food excited the people. Visitors were particularly excited to see the sculptures and modern art forms on display in different parts of the venue.

“The stalls of the Police Building Construction Corporation and the Central Investigation Department were interesting. They depict how the state-of-the-art police stations are coming up. I am really impressed. Also, the industries department stall is nice. It is wonderful to see Bihar coming to life here,” said Sunil Kumar Mishra, a resident of Danapur.

The stalls selling handloom clothing put up by the industries department were also instant hit.

Realising it, Mohammed Ismiel, who has come down from Bhagalpur with handloom silk items, said: “It is really encouraging to see so many people coming even before the three-day affair has formally begun. We expect good sales. Even we are excited about the event. I expected crowd after sunset.”

It was around 10am then.

The children had their share of fun at Gandhi Maidan. Street plays were organised for them.

“The plays were very good. They laid emphasis on the importance of education and medical care. There are a lot of things to learn here,” said Awadhesh Sharma, a Patna resident. “I liked that huge silver spectacle. It has been made amazingly. The other structures too are eye-catching,” said Harshad, a 15-year-old student.

By afternoon, the crowd had trebled.