The chill in the air induced by the depression in the Bay of Bengal did not deter revellers on New Year’s eve at the city’s celebration hub - the central business district - as they ecstatically ushered in the New Year Saturday midnight.
The YouTube rage of the year, the Tamil song, “Why This Kolaveri Di”, was the anthem of the revellers as they welcomed 2012.
The anti-corruption movement headed by Anna Hazare found an echo at Royal Orchid Hotel, as youths pledged to root out graft. They swore they would neither indulge in corruption nor encourage it. Shanthinagar MLA, N A Haris, said that everybody was corrupt, not just politicians and bureaucrats. Hazare’s inclination against alcohol did not find much support on this night, even as the revelers swore by his movement.
The revellers were boisterous on Brigade Road, M G Road, and Church Street that form the triangle of the city’s revelry hub, as the clock struck 12 at midnight. Amid loud music, people cheered in full party mode.
They played mouth organs and danced to numbers such as Dhanush’s “Kolaveri Di” and Rajkumar’s all-time favourite, “Huttidare Kannada Nadalli Huttabeku”.
But beyond the revelry and the festivity was hidden the less-palatable face of the city: the streets became unsafe for women who formed less than 10 percent of the crowd. The presence of police personnel did little to reassure them. Women revellers struggled to walk around safely even escorted by policemen as unruly merrymakers attempted to stalk or eve-tease them. The girls simply found it hard to avoid the aggressive crowd.
Brigade Road was simply choc-a-bloc as it was impossible to get out, once entering it. Several people found themselves stranded. Pubs and bars which dot the neighbourhood brimmed with party-goers. But the waterholes charged exorbitantly for the services. Entry at most pubs cost not less than Rs 1,000.
A number of medium-sized pubs, however, downed their shutters as early as 10 pm, just to avoid the rumpus. Many bars appeared to have run out of liquor. But small shops and food vendors did brisk business. The party, however, had begun before 10 pm as the endless stream of youths screamed and cheered. The brightly-lit streets added to the festive mood. The revellers wore masks, caps and assorted party wear. While a few danced to the music, others preferred the Mexican Wave.
Even as the New Year was ushered in with more hopes, dreams, wishes, and prayers for peace and prosperity, many people shut themselves in, avoiding what they viewed as mayhem associated with revelry.
By 12:30 pm, revellers began leaving the place, as police, for quite some time tolerant, advised to go home.