Mumbai parties all night on streets

From flag sellers to fans, delirious Mumbaiites exulted over India's World Cup victory after 28 years

At 10.35 pm, when India needed 27 runs off 24 balls to win, the city was poised on a precipice, waiting to explode when victory seemed inevitable. Fifteen minutes later, how they did.

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The city became a stretch of roads blazing with colours, sounds and textures.

As people poured out of Wankhede stadium, homes, pubs and every nook and corner, the city's streets became the hippest venue for past-match parties. Strangers hugged each other, passersby gave each other high fives and crackers erupted off rooftops. The police looked on benignly at behaviour that they would usually consider as hooliganism.

Celebrations took off at a spectacular speed as people raced around taking victory laps in their cars and shouting from windows and unfurling flags.

“As long as there is someone to party with, I am going to party all night,” said Rishabh Bhandari, 23, who with a painted face and tricolour in hand shouted ‘India’ every few seconds to anyone in the vicinity.

Crackers streaked across the night sky in reds, yellows and blues, even as the post-match ceremony commenced inside Wankhede. “Tonight is going to be wild. It will be twice as crazy as the celebrations were on the night that India defeated Pakistan,” said Kailash Bharti, a Marine Drive resident.

While people were thronging the streets, Bandra resident Mala Hemrajani went to the temple in her building complex and performed an aarti. “We have to thank God for this victory. While some might celebrate with alcohol, I am going to pray all night,” said the 51-year-old.