Neon nights, street beats: Koramangala's clubland carnival kicks off early

Bengaluru: Koramangala, one of the most popular party areas in Bengaluru, saw a sea of party-goers hopping from one place to another as early as 9 pm. 

Many stood waiting outside pubs and bars that they had set their minds on, but found it difficult to get a spot. 

Heavy beats rhythmically thumped through the ground while loud, party music that switched between languages every step of the way set the tone for the crowd’s movement.

The wide roads helped with the congestion, as the crowd evened out by the end of the road, adjusting after each establishment. Barricaded portions of the road helped restrict the entry of vehicles, making it a completely unrestricted pedestrian walkway, even just for a few hours. 

With flashy lights and attractive offers printed on boards outside their doors, establishments hoped to woo the crowd. 

A group of seven friends, including recent graduates and current college students, stood behind a barricade, talking animatedly while tapping at places on their phone’s Maps. "We don’t have a specific place in mind, but we are really trying to enter any place that will let us all in. If there is free entry for women, that’s a plus,” said Raghavi, a techie. 

They’d been walking up and down the bustling street since 8 pm, weighing their options, but were ready to make the most of their night. “We’re going to be here till quite late so we’re glad we have a holiday tomorrow,” she added. 

Another group of friends stood outside a popular bar that was teeming with a happy crowd that moved as if they were one entity. 

“The vibe here is very nice, there’s great music playing throughout the street. We wanted to come to this bar because it's very famous and we come here often. But looking at the crowd, we don’t know how long we will have to wait to get in,” said Lokesh, a fashion designer. 

The group had come here on their bikes and cars, but were cautious about driving after drinking. “All five of us live in Indiranagar, but we don’t want to risk travelling back so we have already booked rooms nearby just to be safe,” he added.