At 98, Joomrathan is still going strong

AT 98, Joomrathan Mohabir is frail but still active, and is hoping that Allah The Merciful will grant her her wish to attain the magical hundred before He calls her from this earthly realm.The lot 11 Cotton Field, Essequibo Coast resident, who has outlived two husbands and broken up with another, is mother of three children, all girls, two of whom are twins. She is being cared for by her daughter Shirley, 63, who is one of her twins. Her other two daughters: Shanta, 63, the other twin; and Sheela, 69, live in neighbouring Suriname.

Even at her age, Joomrathan moves about freely — with the aid of a cane. She makes her own bed, and bathes and eats without any help.

Even at her age, Joomrathan moves about freely — with the aid of a cane. She makes her own bed, and bathes and eats without any help.

Joomrathan Mohabir in her younger days Shirley told the Guyana Chronicle, when yours truly visited her home, that her mom, due to her age, does not hear clearly, but does not suffer from any medical complication.
Joomrathan, who greeted the Guyana Chronicle with a robust “Good afternoon”, credits her longevity to “plenty dhal and rice, ground provision and achar”; and most importantly, to God, whom she said wants her to live that long.

The elderly woman related that her mother was from LBI, East Coast Demerara, and her father came from India to work at the LBI sugar estate; but, for some reason, he ended up being posted at Wakenaam, Essequibo Island. She could not remember exactly how her parents met, but presumed that their marriage was arranged, which was the norm in those days with East Indian families.
But she recalled that she was born in Wakenaam, met her first two husbands at Wakenaam, and all of her children were also born there.

In her younger days, Joomrathan related, she used to look after cows and work in the rice fields; and when she attained 13 years of age, her father ‘married her off’ to a policeman: Bholi Bisoondial, whom she said was in his 40s. In those days, policemen enjoyed a level of prestige in society, and, according to Joomrathan, young girls were not allowed to disagree with their parents. As such, she had no choice but to agree to the marriage, but went to live with her husband when she turned 14.

what a life she has had!

Go for the century auntie