Thousands gather at India Gate to celebrate Anna's victory

'Anna has pulled off a miracle', was the unanimous cry from Hazare supporters who thronged the India Gate in thousands following anti-corruption crusader's call to celebrate their victory.

Cutting across the barriers of age and gender, people looked into a mode of celebration while dancing on the tunes of bands, doing Bhangra, singing patriotic songs, raising impromptu slogans, flying kites names after Anna, waving Indian flags, and some even distributing free sweets and chocolates among themselves.

"Anna has awakened the nation", said 80-year-old Retd. Army Officer Shiv Kumar Sharma, who had come with his wife and friends to the India Gate.

"I don't think that Lokpal alone will eradicate corruption from India. However, I do feel that Anna Hazare through his movement has woken up the nation... The whole country has stood up against corruption and I think this is the biggest achievement of this movement," Sharma said.

Though, Lokpal is not the whole answer to the problem, it is a very good beginning, said R S Yadav, a retd Colonel.

Amidst huge media presence and police deployment, people sang patriotic songs and waved Indian flags while some were seen getting their face painted in the colours of tricolour.

"I am proud to be an Indian today," said 22-year-old Sunil, who is pursuing his MBA in Delhi.

Mohan Aggarwal, a businessman, had come with a group of 40 people from Vaishali, and was seen distributing free sweets and chocolates among the people gathered at the India Gate.

"It's our way of celebrating by distributing sweets. Only a God can do what Anna has done through his struggle. We had never imagined in our dreams that one day the whole country would stand up against corruption... He has done a miracle," said Aggarwal.

Some were not "satisfied" with the government's response to the whole movement.

"Though I am not fully satisfied with the government's response, at least something is being done to rid this country of corruption. Anna has shown us a path and now it's our responsibility to follow it... At least I won't give or accept bribes from now on," said Yudhishter Singh, a Customs Manager, who had come all the way from Ethiopia to be a part of the movement.