Wanna party safely? Hit home this year

BANGALORE: The New Year chorus is getting louder, by the minute. The countdown for the year''s biggest blast has well and truly started. Come December 31 and the city is expected to go mad, dancing, drinking, feasting, partying and loading up for that one moment when 04 will push 03 into history.
But not all of it is going to happen outdoors, at least not for the city''s security-conscious club-class dude.
Though late-night parties, loaded with music, fun, food and dance, are very much a part of Bangalore''s New Year pop-cult, it is the drive back home from suburban or farmhouse party zones that is giving the dude a cold feet.
Lonely roads aren''t the only dampeners. Hooligans lurking around ready to pounce on cars just to wish ''Happy New Year'', speeding vehicles, roadside brawls, nasty incidents and poor security for women are the other off-putters. "I had planned to go to The Club for New Year eve with a big group of guys and girls but cancelled it a couple of days ago, fearing the security risks," says business analyst Nikhil Venkatesh. "We will now be doing it at home, watching TV over a pizza or something better."
Nikhil is just one of the many who have changed their party plans. Says networking professional, Suresh Balraj: " I decided to cancel my party plan mainly owing to safety reasons. Gone are the days where it was okay to return home after partying in Bangalore. Now with all the risks of street crimes, it''s just not worth it. I will be at home this New Year."
The twenty-somethings too are aware of the hazards but they are not changing their plans. The high of a swinging party is far too exciting to resist. So, while the middle-aged might keep off Bangalore''s hottest party spots, they will still sizzle this New Year night with the young bravehearts welcoming 04 amidst a sea of waving hands and shaking legs all washed over by a heady wave of music and drink. Sometimes, it feels really great to be young.