New Year calls for celebrations and parties. Every time people across the globe celebrate the year’s last day with fervor and in the company of family and friends. It is this time of the year when we bid farewell to the past and look forward to a brighter future. People celebrate the occasion doing a host of things – house parties, staycation, clubbing, bar hopping and strolling through the streets to witness fireworks. All want to make it an occasion to remember for a long time. However, this year it will look a lot different than previous years’ celebrations. Needless to say, 2020 was a year full of unexpected challenges, hardships, and stress due to the outbreak of coronavirus and we cannot celebrate New Year eve like any other year of past. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be a festive, celebratory and fun-filled affair. Sunday POST talks to a few party animals who are of the view that despite all restrictions, one can say goodbye to outgoing year 2020 in style.
Mumbai-based singer Priyanka Mitra says “This New Year will be a little different from every year. I am not exactly a party animal, rather want to keep things simple and quiet. Owing to the lockdown and recently imposed night curfew in Mumbai, I may make a quiet getaway to the hills of Mahabaleshwar/Lonavala and rejuvenate. If not, then I would prefer to get cozy on my couch sipping hot chocolate, with a scented candle lit and read my favorite book or binge-watch my favorite show. Basically, making a quiet exit from the tragic 2020, with silent prayers for a happening 2021.”
Odisha-born anchor and actress Leslie Tripathy, who has now shifted base to Mumbai, says “I used to host parties on New Year eve. But this year, I am not going to do it due to covid guidelines. So, we (friends) have planned to meet through the zoom app at 11.45pm and greet each other to ring in the New Year. That apart, I will be celebrating the first day with my family. So I have no regrets. Instead of regretting we should welcome the government’s decision and be part of the protocol.”
For Babool Das, a businessman from Bhadrak, it is unthinkable to welcome another year without partying hard. “For the last 10 years, I have never missed celebrating zero night on the eve of New Year. Though I am a resident of Bhadrak, I celebrate zero night at clubs, hotels and restaurants in Bhubaneswar because they invite popular celebrities to entertain people. I am disappointed that this year I won’t be celebrating zero night because of covid guidelines. However, I have decided to celebrate it with fanfare, but at home. I would dance the night away with music on full volume, with my siblings and some close friends giving me company.”
Pabitra Priyadarshini, who resides in Singapore, loves to ring in the New Year by letting her hair down to the tune of Hindi film songs. “Being a hardcore party animal, I dress up myself to the best. I would like to wear my favorite holiday attire and put on some bold makeup. That’s not all. I would stand with neighbours in a circle while sticking our heads together and take a series of selfies. I love taking the same picture every year. I would host a treasure hunt round by putting clues under the couch, chair or tables.”
She continues: “In Singapore, there is a tradition of climbing up a chair and jumping off it as the clock hits 12. I have decided to do this with my husband and children while watching the clock. That’s not all. I work on our New Year’s resolutions. I have decided not to yell at my kids this year. Let us see how long I can keep my cool.”
Soumya Rath, a Bhubaneswar-based banker, says “I make sure to do a couple of things so that I can enjoy the carnival to the fullest. Last year I was in Delhi to celebrate the occasion. I went to Kitty Su in The Lalit Hotel, one of the finest nightclubs of the city. Besides, with the choicest alcoholic beverages, I had a blast dancing to one of the best music in town. It is that time of the year again when we bid farewell to all things old and embrace the new. Also, in Delhi, it is all about a good night out. The cold Delhi weather plays the perfect host and everyone comes out wrapped in warm clothes, ready to welcome the New Year. I am going to celebrate the event this year in Bhubaneswar. I would make a big bowl of popcorn and finish it all by myself, while watching my favourite movies because no one will be there to celebrate the occasion with me. However, I make sure to visit Astaranga with my friends to see the sunrise and begin my year with a positive note.”
Baldev Prasad, an engineer by profession, feels that performances by artistes, DJ shows, live orchestras, concerts and dazzling displays of fireworks marks zero hour celebrations at various party hotspots in the twin cities as residents ushered in the New Year. But this year, we are going to miss them due to government restrictions to contain the spread of coronavirus. Last year’s celebration was worth remembering. I enjoyed a zero night celebration at Hotel Swosti. The decibel level at the party hit fever pitch as people let their hair down and enjoyed the year’s last night to the fullest. I along with my friends danced our way to welcome the New Year. This year, I have decided to enjoy delicious dishes made by my mother as part of New Year eve celebration with my family. The morning after, however, I have decided to visit a few temples to pray for a perfect start to the New Year.
Rashmi Rekha Das, OP
