The Mayan apocalypse prophecy notwithstanding, an eventful 2012 draws to a close on December 31. Revellers in the city are all set to usher in the New Year with a bevy of plans.
Private parties are the pick of the season, as not only high profile people from the city are planning their bashes, but also students who can’t break the bank to get into the myriad parties being advertised all over town. Prakash Madhav, an engineering student, says, “As much as we would love to attend a party but the fact that we’re under 21 poses a problem. The next best thing we could do was have a party ourselves. One of my friends is a part-time DJ and he has agreed to spin for us. Apart from that, around 20 of us are pitching in for food and beverages, and my parents have given me permission to host it in my place as I live in an independent house.”
Family comes first for several others, as they plan to welcome 2013 with their loved ones. An annual tradition for Vaishnavi Prasad’s family is a party at her place every new year’s eve. “We don’t celebrate anything much throughout the year; even birthdays and Diwali are moderate occasions for us. New Year, on the other hand is a huge, fun family thing,” she says. With relatives from abroad usually in town around this time of the year, the ritual gathering has people flying down to join in the revelry, she says and adds that like every year, this year too has a theme: psychedelic.
Explaining the reason behind the choice, she says, “Since there was all this talk about the apocalypse and how unlucky aspect of the year because of the number ‘13, we wanted a colourful beginning to the year. All guests will be dressed in bright, multiple-coloured costumes. The decorations too will follow the theme.”
An auspicious and prayerful start to the New Year is essential for software professional Sarah Joyce. “My faith is very important to me and while parties are fun, I prefer attending the midnight service. And since my entire family goes to the same church, we love being able to be together at the beginning of the year,” she says with a fond smile. Some temples in the city are also organising midnight poojas for the devotees.
In spite of numerous ways to spend the last day of the year and ring in the new year, some city folk are planning to have a quiet night in. Raghav S, an accountant, says that he has never seen the point in celebrating the day. “It’s just like any other day. The year changes, but otherwise I still feel the same. I’ll be working on 31st, come back to my room and watch a few videos before sleeping - midnight or not. It’ll be a normal evening for me,” he says.