The New Year Begins With a Bang

 A most unusual party that ended right. Naresh came into town a week ago and he called asking what we were doing for New Year's Eve. I had no plans and was planning to stay home quietly. He asked if we wanted to go to his place and chill for a bit. No crowds. Just us.

I was not sure but I floated the idea and sure enough S and A were Ok with the idea - even more than I was I guess. So we went there by 8. Naresh was home. We fixed a drink. He said he invited a newly married nephew and his wife (Vignesh and Anjunika) and his uncle Srinivas Dhunuskoti, an ex-Indian Airlines pilot, and his wife Shobha. Some music. The other guests arrived. Conversation, drinks and then his uncle and aunt left but not before Srinivas uncle regaled us with stories from his flying days.

Naresh pulled out some strobe lights he had and said we had to dance. He was also a dancing person - I remember watching him perform a breakdance number on a Michael Jackson number in a CBIT festival in 1985 and watched him dancing away in all the lovely parties he had at home. Of course I stepped away from the floor as did Shobhs but Anjali took to it. Vignesh is a wonderfully uninhibited dancer too and it was fun watching the three of them and Anjunika have fun. A few drinks down and he pulled me on to the floor and I had to shake a leg and some associated parts. It was fun and lasted till 1230.

Dinner - biryani and stuff - and a cake that Anjunika bought - and we hit the bed at 2 pm. Turned out to be a fine way to bring in the New Year. I loved it. Most unexpected.

What made it even better was that I was flipping the Deccan Chronicle next morning while sipping chai and found my great friend Krishna Shastri Devulapalli's brilliantly funny column in the editorial page. I read it and congratulated him and while flipping the sports page found my review of 'Unveiling Jazbaa' in it. It was supposed to be published on the 8th but hey, what better way to start the New Year.

Happy New Year everyone.