New Delhi: Who gave a prime ministerial spouse "severe headache"? "Clever-headed" mice and garden rats, which are the "permanent residents" of 3, Race Course Road, the residential wing of the official residence of the Indian prime minister.
In a book of reminiscences, So Many Journeys, Shiela Gujral, wife of former prime minister I K Gujral, talks about the "difficult time" she had at Race Course Road (called RCR in official jargon) during the 10 months Gujral was prime minister in 1997-98.
"My most severe headache was caused by the clever-headed mice and garden rats, the permanent residents of 3, Race Course Road. No trapping, no poisoning, could diminish their stock," writes Shiela Gujral in her recently published book.
So audacious were the rodents of the country's most protected residence, writes Gujral, that "the moment they located any unclosed wardrobe, they sneaked into it. Once I saw a little mouse nestling in the PM's pyjama shelf. Next week, it was playing with his socks".
She goes on: "Even though I made it a point to personally close the wardrobe after he took out his clothes, some accident happened almost once a fortnight."
In the book - a collection of belles letters, mini travelogues and profiles of men and women who made a deep impression on her during her visits round the world with her husband - she also complains of a "completely unplanned lifestyle" - the bane of any spouse - at the prime ministerial residence.
"Whenever I decided to attend some literary meeting (she is an author of 32 books and anthologies), or invited some like-minded friends or relatives at home, invariably I had to cancel the programme. Some VIP would inform at the last moment that his wife was going to join him for his visit to 7, Race Course Road (the prime minister's official residence is actually a complex of three connected bungalows - 7,5 and 3 on Race Course Road, with the last bungalow being used as living quarters)."
Another problem that a prime ministerial spouse faced was that there were "scores of cars standing around the compound, but whenever I wanted to send someone for shopping, no car was available".
So whenever there was an informal dinner with close relatives and friends at short notice - especially when the prime minister had decided to skip some engagement - she had to make "frantic calls" to her daughter-in-law "to send non-vegetarian stuff from her freezer and ask our bearer to buy vegetables from the adjoining market".
But, despite the travails of running a household, there were "joyous memorable moments" too.
"The daily cat-walk of a peacock outside the window, when I relaxed with a cup of tea in the afternoon and the occasional visits by bright-eyed Reena Pande, the hostess of 7, Race Course Road, all cheered me up".
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