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PHOTOS: It's Sachin Tendulkar mania at Eden Gardens

Sachin Tendulkar was written all over the Eden Gardens in Kolkata as thousands of his fans from all walks of life poured in to watch the batting legend in action one last time at the ground in his penultimate and 199th Test match.

-Farewell Sachin... write a postcard to the batting icon

PHOTOS: It's Sachin Tendulkar mania at Eden Gardens

The toss started amid chants of 'Sachin, Sachin' but fans were left disappointed as India lost the toss and West Indies chose to bat first in the opening Test of the two-match series.

PHOTOS: It's Sachin Tendulkar mania at Eden Gardens

Among those in attendance were Tendulkar's wife Anjali and son Arjun, who came from Mumbai to cheer him for the second last time.

PHOTOS: It's Sachin Tendulkar mania at Eden Gardens

Office-goers, who took leaves, and school and college students, who missed their classes, were welcomed at the stadium with large Tendulkar posters, which quoted the champion batsman as saying: "Enjoy your game and chase your dreams, because dreams do come true".

PHOTOS: It's Sachin Tendulkar mania at Eden Gardens

Die-hards fans walked in with 'Sachin' painted on their faces in tri-colours.

Tendulkar's ardent fan Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary, who makes it a point to attend all his games, said he expects a triple ton from the champions batsman in his last series.

"It's tough to believe that he won't be playing anymore. As a farewell gift to all his fans like me, he should score a triple century," he said.

PHOTOS: It's Sachin Tendulkar mania at Eden Gardens

Earlier, playing his 199th match, Tendulkar was presented with a memento by Police Commissioner Surajit Kar Purkayastha as both the squads wished the maestro best of luck in his farewell series.

PHOTOS: It's Sachin Tendulkar mania at Eden Gardens

The crowd got the opportunity to cheer Tendulkar when he went to the boundary line as a fielder from the 20th over after India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni introduced spin from both the ends.

PHOTOS: It's Sachin Tendulkar mania at Eden Gardens

Even the match tickets became a collector's item for fan as it had Sachin Tendulkar's photographs and autograph printed on it.