Special Sixties: What is the secret behind Chembur's age-defying grannies?

Come Mondays and Thursdays the evenings at Chembur Gymkhana turn into a highoctane activity zone Matriarchs donned in colourful outfits throw their arms open and stretch their grey elastic bands high up in the skyIts not just an attempt to reclaim their youth its a saga of fierce women channeling their inner goddesses and blessing the world with a dose of unstoppable feminine mightMen in the adjacent football field can only steal glances gaze and wonder if there is a vacancy for them to hop into Sorry fellas no vacancies in this laughterfilled extravaganzaEnter Grow Younger the brainchild of Chemburs dynamic granny Mala Mansukhani Its not just a gathering its a senior womens powerhouse where they come together to boost energy levels heal with laughter and recharge their spiritsFounded in 2013 ndash Mala began the sessions from the confines of her terrace As the word spread more ladies from diverse backgrounds came pouring in adding to the essence of the group At the moment they form an 80woman crew grooving so seamlessly that their infectious vibe practically begs others to jump right into the rhythmSome of the members include Neelam Sahni 68 Mrs Bimal Kumar Kala Natrajan Regina Rangrass 64 Rashmi Chopra Kiran Kotak and PrakashKhannaLadies participate in the resistance band activity at Grow Youngers Thursday sessionOn one fine Thursday this writer hopped into a rick and decided to join these feisty women in their workout Upon arrival she got to chat with the ladies at lsquoGrow Youngerrsquo who opened their hearts and shared how they have found a purpose and direction through this novel initiativeKala Natrajan joined the group a year back and tells Midday how it has been a lifechanging decision for her ldquoWhen I was 60 I thought I was too old Now when I joined this group I found out that most of the members are above 60 and the bonding is so good that I feel like a kid playing with her mates Age is just a number and undoubtedly this group has been absolute therapyrdquoLadies at lsquoGrow Youngerrsquo are not just limited to the workout sessions at the Gymkhana They paint the town red with diverse ventures like fashion shows painting classes dayout picnics highteas as well as dance competitions Natrajan reminisces how she was once compared to a vintage Bollywood actress when she wore a saree and tucked a flower on her left earRashmi Choprarecollects the day they all dressed up in red and performed a choreographed dance on the song lsquoWhat Jhumkarsquo ldquoWe set the stage on fire in our traditional outfits and electrifying dancerdquo Each of them looked like lsquoapsarasrsquo who landed on this planet only to grace the Earthlings One could check out the shenanigans these ladies are up to at the Instagram handle growyoungerThe latest recruit Rithu Mehra has clocked in four sessions and her mind and body are already accustomed to the rejuvenating experience that Malas sessions are Even though Ive been hitting the exercise routine regularly there were a few things I couldnt quite conquer solo After relentless nagging from my friends I joined the group and now theres no escape for meHer initiation into resistance band stretching was like stepping into a whole new workout universe Sure Ive dabbled in leg stretches with bands before but these quirky exercises have this magical ability to untie the knots in my body and motivate me to attempt things Id never dream of doing on my own recalls RithuRithu Mehra The newest joiner at Grow YoungerThe sisterhood the stretches and the evergrowing bond act as a magnet that keeps these women glued to the sacred space allotted to them at the Gymkhana When the clock hits 345 pm they spontaneously leap out of their comfort zones and march towards their practice area like synchronised clock gears That is how eager they are to break a sweat togetherWith a lifetime fee of Rs 1100 for lsquoGrow Youngerrsquo sessions Mala rightfully calls it lsquoShagunrsquo which is nothing but a gesture of blessing given at the start of an auspicious act By helping senior women find a support system ndash she believes she has found her calling Not only this she also conducts behavioural lessons and mental coaching like how to deal with Gen Z as well as senior personsMala Mansukhani Founder of Grow YoungerldquoI have seen my mother juggle between raising my siblings and working on her export business By the time I could register her gradual ageing and what I could do to help ndash health issues had caught her by the grip She was diagnosed with cancer and her bones grew brittlerdquo This was the tipping point when Mala knew that her purpose in life was to help women regain their independence develop selfesteem and ease the trouble that ageing brought with itShanu Kaur was in the US when she came across the groups videos on Facebook The sight of women in workout gear and gritty faces was enough to hook her and propel her to dig deep ldquoI called up Neelam ji and asked ndash whatrsquos going onrdquo ndash she cracks up while talking Thatrsquos when she found out that a group of likeminded people was formed back in India and that she could not wait to be a part of itldquoHer smile always gets merdquo she remarks referring to Mala whose vibrant smile indeed casts a pullShanu KaurDeepti name anonymised at request called up Mala one evening after being distressed by an extreme conundrum at home A battered old lady her husband had forced her into signing off her property ndash causing a blow to her dignity an stealing her independence Depressed and low ndash she considered suicide as the only option as she was left homelessToday her smile conceals a myriad of problems and painful memories Yet she dresses up in lively shades exhibits enthusiasm and participates in the energising sessions that she has resolved not to miss She holds a soft spot in Malarsquos heart and like other ladies has found a family that celebrates her personhoodLadies in an interaction session with Midday From LR Kiran jethwani Prakash Khanna and Neelam Sahni