India, June 13 -- Ask most Indians to name a place in Italy and the chances are that they will say Rome. This is relatively unusual. In other countries it may be such tourist friendly cities as Venice that get mentioned. Or Florence if you are dealing with an art lover. Or Milan, Italy's fashion capital.

But for Indians it is always Rome that epitomises Italy. When the Congress's detractors first tried to draw attention to the fact that the party was led by a foreigner, 'Rome Raj' was the term they used even though Sonia Gandhi grew up in Torino not Rome.

Perhaps it's the preponderance of history, myths and legends that surround the city that makes us mention it first. When I was first taken there as a ten-year-old, I solemnly informed ...