BHUBANESWAR: Zero Night celebrations which began midnight were marked by euphoric dance and musical acts as denizens revelled in the final hours of the concluding year. The spirit of New Year continued for the next day as city dwellers visited various shrines to get blessings for the upcoming year.
Denizens lived the concluding day of 2018 to the fullest by revelling in the Zero Night celebrations across the city. City hotels had made all prior arrangements to make the night a memorable one. DJs and singers from the Odia film industry performed musical acts for the people who were seen dancing to the melodious tunes.
In Hotel HHI, Russian belly dancer Maryna performed showcased excellent moves to kick start the party. However, her performance lasted for a short period of time which pissed off the crowd. Singer Smita Nandi and Tariq Aziz performed contemporary Hindi songs to augment the festive environment.
Aryan creative dance group of Mumbai captivated the crowd in Hotel New Marrion. A thrilling group dance drew loud cheers of appreciation from the crowd. While singer Ankita Das presented a musical act, famed magician Bishnu Prasad, who participated in India’s Got Talent, also performed on the occasion. In Hotel Empires, a lucky draw contest was organised where winners bagged huge cash prizes. Apart from this, best couples and dancers were also awarded.
People visited various spots with their families such as Jayadev Vatika, Khandagiri, Udayagiri, Nandankanan Zoological Park and Ram temple among others on the first day of the New Year. City dwellers were particularly eager to visit Ram temple to worship the lord and pray for a good year for them and their family. Manoranjan Sahu, a shopkeeper, said that although he offers his prayers to the lord daily, visiting the shrine on the first day of the year is almost a ritualistic practice.
People were also seen visiting Lingaraj temple in droves. Devotees stood patiently in long queues to take the blessings of the lord Shiva. Tourists across the globe visited the sacred town of Puri to seek darshan of Lord Jagannath and his siblings in Srimandir. Apart from this, the serene Jayadev Vatika was visited by numerous couples and families to celebrate the spirit of New Year. People visited the park in large numbers throughout the day and enjoyed the natural waterfall and gardens of the site. Youngsters meanwhile were seen clicking selfies at the waterfall area. Monika Mohnaty, a college student, who visited the place with her friends, said that the day was a fun-filled one for them.
Khandagiri and Udayagiri were other popular spots for city dwellers. People from faraway places such as Kendrapara and even Kolkata had came to the place to visit the ancient caves, which are one of the earliest groups of Jain rock-cut shelters. The caves of Udayagiri (Hill of Sunrise) and Khandagiri (Broken Hills) command a unique position in the field of history, rock-cut architecture, art and religion. Many of them visited quite early to enjoy the first sun rise of the New Year.
Arindam Ganguly, OP
