Ralegan Siddhi:
Social activist Anna Hazare today began his week-long vow of silence at his native village for 'peace of soul'.
"Anna began his vow of silence this morning. He is sitting under a banyan tree near the Padmavati temple here," Anna's close aide, Datta Awari told PTI.
The 74-year-old Gandhian will stay in a hut during the vow of silence, Awari said.
Anna has been continuously interacting with people after ending his 12-day-old fast for a strong Lokpal bill in Delhi in August, and this put a lot of strain on him, Awari said.
The vow of silence comes close on the heels of the recent assault by suspected Ram Sene activists on a key 'Team Anna' member, Prashant Bhushan, who had advocated plebiscite in Kashmir.
Anna has distanced himself from Mr Bhushan's statement, saying he did not agree with it and that it was the senior lawyer's personal view.