Different strokes for New Year as coast is in 'chillax' mode

Mangaluru: After the homestay attack pub attack by the Hindu fringe groups in 2008 and many other forms of vigilantism displayed till last week in December 2022 the new year revelry has taken a high tech avatar.

While stags can have a ball just anywhere the couples had to shell down a heavy price if they wanted to spend quality time jiving away the night on New Year eve. Many new year parties were held on Friday (new year eve) in the secured places of high value hotels which had three layers of security.

And despite the fear BF.7 variant of the Corona looming large, over the revelry on the coast, the party animals have indicated nothing will stop them from ushering 2023 in style in their hideouts on the eve of the new year.

The police had given the plainclothes men cover to many high places, which was buffered by the hotels going in for their own security ring and at the venue of the party bouncers were deployed. "it all costs money, the bouncers in the city come at a premium and they were at short supply so we had to import some from Mumbai and Bengaluru, every reveller had been given security tag which protected him till he was in our premises which is why the new year party entrance fees has been jacked up anywhere from Rs.2500 per person to Rs. 5000" said a banquet manager in charge of the new year party.

In another initiative, few hotels had hired many drivers to take the guests home safely if they were unable to drive or to escape from the lurking alcometers on the way. "These drivers can take any car right from the smallest to the big high-value cars, of course, they come at a price, manager of another hotel told The Hans India. Apart from that the hotels also hire a fleet of taxis to take their guests who had one too many safely back home.

Though it was the new year party the lifting of liquor cases have not been all that enthusiastic, "We have issued 15 licences to the new year parties and considering the size of the city that was not much. Only one hotel near Panambur beach had requested the occasional licence. We have not experienced any heavy lifting of cases from the traders" Deputy Commissioner Excise told Hans India. Beer however still was at the top of the chart.

Satvik New Year revelry, Sangh Parivar style!

Think of another scenario, sing Bhajans, offer poojas to Durga, Ganesh or take part in a mass Satyanarayana Pooja and the stroke of midnight offer a mass prayer for the wellbeing of the society with a Maha Mangalarathi and thereafter take prasadam or even a strictly vegetarian meal with the elders of the community. This was another way of welcoming the New Year in Mangaluru city.

However, this trend lost sheen this year. "We have not organised any such Satwik new year celebrations this year, for many reasons. We have delivered the message during the last three years to the partygoers in Hindu community families, they have taken control of their youngsters largely I hope" said State Bajrang Dal chief Jagadish Shenva. Sharan Pumpwell also a Bajrang Dal leader said "We were busy over the issue of banning entry of Zakir Nayak to Mangaluru city, but I gathered a few Mahila Mandalis and youth organisations have organised Satwik new year celebrations but they too were asked to closed down at 10 pm as we do not want to expose women and children to the traffic full of drunken drivers and anti-social elements" Sharan said.