Mangaloreans Accord Spirited Welcome to New Year
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS/SP)
Mangalore, Jan 1: Celebration was in the air all over the city, as the magical year 2010, which witnessed a number of forgettable, memorable, and immemorable events, came to an end at the stroke of midnight on December 31. The people extended a warm welcome to the New Year 2011 with an air of enthusiasm, gaiety and expectation.
The Gateway Hotel here had organized ‘Pool side New Year Bash', through which it provided lots of entertainment to the patrons. The celebrations were made lively with the participation of DJ Anvesh, MTV Roadies fame Charlie Chauhan, and India’s only desk hip-hop rappers, the Sweet Flava. The package included complimentary beverages accompanied by unlimited snacks and a huge spread of delicacies for a grand buffet dinner. Residents and tourists, families and friends, all joined together and took part in Mangalore’s first ever pool party and the dance party at Gateway Hotel.
Mangaloreans enjoyed a night out on Friday, for welcoming the New Year with loads of fun and merriment, which are normally associated with the New Year eve. The city wore a dazzling look, as brightly lit and tastefully decorated colourful nights gave the city a touch of grandeur and festive look. The otherwise desolate roads of the city came alive, as vehicles continued to move on them till late in the night. The policemen resorted to caning wherever incidents of revellers heckling or disturbing others by making catcalls were witnessed. The policemen also stopped vehicles near Ballalbagh and other areas in the city for reckless driving.
The city’s hotels and restaurants were packed to their capacities with party lovers, who had come out of their homes in hordes with family and friends, to share their joy as they bid farewell to the year 2010 and welcomed the New Year with glee.
It looked as though there is no better way to bid goodbye to the year gone by, than to party around and have loads of fun. Out of numerous places available for such celebrations in and around the city, the crowds chose Deepa Comforts, Gold Finch, Hotel Poonja International, Moti Mahal and some other hotels and clubs in the city over others, and all of them had laid elaborate menu, fun games and programmes for the New Year celebrations.
It was a night out that gave an opportunity to the people to forget the miseries of the year 2010 and look forward with hope and anticipation, towards the year ahead. Stylishly dressed men and women, boys and gals, had a gala time partying, dancing to the best of music, and making the best use of the cheerful ambience.
Holy Masses organized in churches across the city on this occasion, were attended by a large number of Christians to seek blessings of the Lord for the coming year.
While many enjoyed a night out, partying in hotels and restaurants, a vast majority of the families celebrated it in the cosy confines of their homes in their own way with family and friends. For a number of people, television viewing proved to be the right way of enjoying the programmes which culminated with the welcoming the New Year.
The cosmopolitan nature of Mangalore has added an extra zing and vibrancy to the celebrations of New Year 2011. At the stroke of midnight, the sound of crackers and cheers emanating from these party places announced the arrival of the New Year.