Jaya, the charmer and the deity

‘Puratchi Thalaivi’ or Revolutionary Leader, as Jayalalithaa is known, carefully nurtured the cult built around her and managed to come out of the shadows of her mentor M G Ramachandran, who was equally loved by millions of Tamilians. Whether it was huge cut-outs, prostration of her ministers before her or AIADMK leaders carrying her photo in their pockets, Jayalalithaa wove narratives around her and controlled her party and the government with an iron hand.

She did not shy away from shunning rationalism, which was one of the basic premises of Dravidian parties, and professed her belief by taking oath in the name of God when she was first sworn in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. On the very same day, “a new cult of leader worship was initiated”, said writer Vaasanthi in her Jayalalithaa's Journey from Movie Star to Political Queen, taking about July 24, 1991, the day she swore in.

“Towering cut-outs of Jayalalithaa greeted her whereever she went... Posters appeared, depicting her as Durga, the goddess Meenakshi, even the immaculate Virgin Mary,” Vaasanthi has written.  Mother Teresa once remarked about Jayalalithaa’s huge cut-outs, saying nowhere in the world had she seen such cut-outs. She was travelling through Chennai, when she asked someone about the cut-outs of Jayalalithaa. When the person told her it was that of the Chief Minister, Mother Teresa’s response was “Good Heavens. It is so huge.” Vaasanthi narrated the incident in Cut-Outs, Caste and Cine Stars: The World of Tamil Politics.

The person explained to her the Tamils’ penchant for cut-outs, whether it is of cinema posters or leaders, but she was not impressed and wondered how many poor people could be fed with the money spent on such things. The organisers were later worried what she would say to Jaya when she met her, but Vaasanthi writes that Jayalalithaa charmed Mother Teresa even before the start of the event by “prostrating herself before her” like her party leaders used to do with her.