No less fun with age

PEACEFUL PARTY

It’s a known fact that youngsters throng the most happening places in town on New Year’s eve to celebrate the occasion in full swing.

They organise parties and music nights and hang out with friends. Every restaurant, pub and theatre bustles with the youth on that day.

Even brands target the younger generation and come up with discounts for them.

With the celebration getting grander and more youth-centric each year, do the elderly people feel left out?

Though it is true that public gatherings have little room for the senior citizens, the elderly people have found their own way. “When I was in my twenties, we never had New Year celebrations like these.

The kind of celebrations we have today are due to commercialisation. But as all of us follow the Gregorian calendar in our day-to-day lives, the beginning of a new calendar also plays an important role in our lives. But I cannot go to MG Road or Brigade Road for a lavish bash for several reasons.

Firstly, at this age I can’t brave such a massive crowd. Also, these places are always full of dust which is not good for my health. Most importantly, I feel out of place among youngsters,” says Radha, a homemaker. But she doesn’t feel left out as she organises a small party along with her neighbours.

“My children go out with their friends. It is the same with my neighbours’ children also. So we all gather together at someone’s place that night. We bring snacks, cakes and beverages from outside. We watch special shows on television as we have our party. It gives us a feeling of togetherness and a satisfaction that we are not left out,” she adds.

Gangadhar H, a lawyer, says on New Year’s eve earlier, he used to treat his family and friends to dinner in popular restaurants. “Now I don’t have the patience or the stamina to wait in an endless queue. I go out only if we are able to book the table in advance.

But wherever you go that night, even a moderate hotel will be crowded and noisy. Hence for the last two years, I have been attending a house party thrown by my friend. It helps me gel with my old friends and remember our younger days. Driving back home is again a big problem as youngsters drive carelessly after these parties. Even though I drive slowly, it becomes difficult for me to prevent their vehicles from hitting ours,” he says. Vasudendra, a retired navy officer, doesn’t consider his age as a barrier for having fun.

“Every year, I go to Goa or the Andaman, where my daughters stay. Both of them take me out for dinner or a party with their kids. This time also, I want to relish a gala dinner at a seaside Goan restaurant. It is not that we elders don’t want to mingle in the celebrations. It’s just that we need a little help and care. If the youngsters are fine with that, we are ready to enjoy,” he claims.