A sizeable crowd awaited Dhanraj's arrival patiently. Fans thronged the lobby while a still larger crowd stood outside braving the drop in temperature. If the airport authorities and the security at Mumbai were caught unawares, Pune was well-informed. Despite the awareness about the arrival of the Indian hockey captain to his home town, not all went as planned when the hero arrived from Delhi, in the evening by an Indian Airlines flight. The security lapses robbed the charm of the well decorated Victory Chariot as Dhanraj was whisked away amidst a frenzy crowd, no sooner he arrived.

As Dhanraj made his entry into the general lounge, petals were showered on the hero and shouts of Dhanraj Pillay zindabad filled the air.

"Where is he? Where ishe?" was what many kept asking but answers were hard to get from any of the waiting crowd.

As Dhanraj alighted from the plane, his mother Andal, father Lali Pillay, sister Sunita, brothers Ganesh, Ramesh and Vijay Pillay and his sister-in-law Kavita (wife of Ganesh) were among the first to receive him.

After the traditional arathi , one could barely get a glimpse of the hero, as the turbulent crowd which budged inside the airport lounge surrounded him and he slowly drifted towards the maroon Tata Sumo waiting outside.

"We can do nothing," was the reply from the police, as they were helpless against the 2,000-plus crowd which had gathered at the venue.

Undoubtedly, this could be the first time the police have come across such reception for a sportsman other than the Indian cricketers in the city. Even the airport authorities were taken by surprise, as one of them commented. "We have witnessed big crowds, but not the one like this."

But for the few tough guys who managed to hold on to the hero,many others especially the little ones who had come with their parents to have a glimpse of the local hero were left high and dry. The flower-decked Victory Chariot was also one among them.

As the Sumo left the airport, the motorcade of vehicles followed little knowing where Dhanraj was heading.

However, as the car reached Vishranthwadi, the Victory Chariot got its due when Dhanraj finally made his way onto the vehicle.

The illuminated streets of Kirkee from where Dhanraj hails welcomed the hero as he paraded the streets amidst applauses from people who had gathered on both sides of the road.