New Year celebrated with fervour, community spirit

Patna: The New Year celebrations were marked with cheer, tradition and community spirit as railway officials and army personnel hosted vibrant midnight celebrations at Khagaul and Danapur cantonment on New Year’s Eve.Preparations were made in advance at the Danapur cantonment Army mess and the Danapur divisional railway manager’s (DRM) office.Bihar ex-servicemen association (officer president) Col (retd) V K Singh said both venues were decorated with colourful balloons, festoons and lights, creating a festive atmosphere that set the tone for the celebrations. “Railway officials, army officers and staff members gathered with their families to usher in the New Year with full enthusiasm,” he said.As the clock struck 12 in midnight, the celebrations reached their peak. Young residents poured out of their houses, cheering and bursting crackers to welcome the New Year in Khagaul and Anisabad areas. The air resonated with joy and excitement as youths celebrated together, exchanging greetings and good wishes.“Music, laughter and the sparkle of fireworks added to the festive mood,” said Khagaul resident Mukesh Kumar.Inside the mess and official premises, parties were organised with special arrangements. Guests enjoyed a variety of dishes, adding flavour to the celebrations. The gathering continued late into the night, with participants sharing moments of happiness and hope for the year ahead, said Col (retd) Om Prakash.Adding a special touch to the occasion was the presence of members of the Anglo-Indian community who had migrated outside the region but returned to celebrate the New Year with their old friends in Khagaul. Their reunion turned nostalgic as they recalled past traditions, remembering how the festive season once began with Christmas and continued through to January 1 during the late 1970s. They shared stories of those times, highlighting the strong sense of togetherness and cultural harmony that defined New Year celebrations in earlier decades, a social activist Pradip Priyadarshi said.Danapur resident Rita Sinha said the New Year celebrations were marked by unity, tradition and joy. “The combination of official gatherings, youthful enthusiasm and nostalgic reunions made the midnight and daylong celebrations a memorable start to the New Year,” she said.