Cheering on Sachin, Sehwag & Co, women at old age home in Worli transformed into young spry teens

AT 2 pm yesterday, 83-year-old Nargis Gandhi gingerly walked out of room number two at Lotus Home for the Old in Worli and went to the common room where the television is placed and turned it on to catch all the cricket action.


Residents of Lotus Home, Worli were glued to the television set all day as the nail-biting match culminated in an exciting finish

And at the old age home, it just wasn't Gandhi who was bitten by the cricket bug. Sixteen other elderly women were seated cheering on their team accompanied with 'oohs and ahhhs.'

Looking at the group of women, it appeared that life's clock had turned back time and the senior citizens were sprightly teens.

When MiD DAY spoke to Gandhi, she said she hadn't missed a single match of India since the World Cup had begun and this was the match that she was itching for. "When India won the toss, she said, "We had won half the battle there."

And accompanying Gandhi in her excitement was Mani Bengali (73), who cheered India and said, "India will win the game. Our prayers are with them."

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An ardent fan of Virender Sehwag, Gandhi was ecstatic to see Sehwag coming out all guns blazing. "He killed all the pressure."

However, when Sehwag was dismissed Gandhi was utterly dismayed but said that she was glad that she hadn't seen his actual dismissal. And Bengali lost all hope after Sachin was caught at cover. "India always messes up things even when they are ahead," Bengali added.

But, there were a few exceptions to the fanatics at the old age home too. Sitting in her room, Anjana Desai (75) was reading a book, while the game played on the screen in the background.
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"I'm not a cricket enthusiast but love watching tennis. But I still think India will win this game. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been a very good captain and that will get us far."

And for these oldies, their ultimate wish is to catch the action live, amidst the cheering fans at the stadium. "We are not VIPs but like every other Mumbaikar we too want to go Wankhede and watch the finals, if only it was possible."

Lotus Home
The retirement home is also known by Bapnu Ghar or Father's Home and was established in 1953 by Manu Subhedar, founder of the Lotus Trust. Bapnu Ghar provides temporary shelter to women in social distress and is an extension programme for working women from low income families. The home is run by the Maharashtra State Woman's Council (MSWC) since 1919. The secretary of the home, Shirin Barodawala said, "They have become a family living here and their respective families do come to meet them as well as take them out also."