The Hindu : Karnataka News : Making celebrations memorable

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Tuesday, Dec 29, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Making celebrations memorable

It is time to cut the cake when the clock strikes for midnight on December 31 to welcome 2010. Bangaloreans are known for welcoming New Year in an extravagant manner. The City’s hot spots – Brigade Road and M. G. Road will be a chock-a-block with revelers.

Hotels, restaurants, clubs and other organisations organise New Year Eve balls and parties. People sing, dance and make merry. Fun events and contests are also organised to entertain the crowd.

Hence, the most common query anyone would encounter these days is what Vonda Shepard crooned about on “Ally McBeal”- What are you doing New Year’s Eve? For many youngsters, New Year Eve is the time to over indulge, surely, with some resistence from the eleders in the family. They party hard and New Year Eve gives an opportunity for them to forget their disappointments.

But for many, the occasion is right to spend quality time with family and friends. They say wet celebrations are meant only for youngsters. They welcome the New Year in a traditional manner with a gala dinner with a huge spread.

At a hotel in Cantonment Area, a three-piece live band will perform with a master compere in attendance. “Games and gifts await our customers to make this a very memorable occasion,” says the General Manager. If you wish to herald the year with your family and friends or associates to pep up the evening, a separate hall will be extended with a lavish buffet dinner.

The buffet starts with refreshing welcome drinks. The starters include – Surkh aloo tikka, a Rajasthani marination with completely red reshampatti chilies grilled to perfection; Idly canapés, the very simple idlys used as an interesting base for canapés; Haryali kebabs, a vegetarian version of the shammi kebabs made with all the fresh greens of the season sprinkled with cumin seeds.

The main course is a delightful combination of healthy and mouth-watering dishes like

Daal makhani; Tomato chaman, a Kashmiri cottage cheese specialty, liberally laced with fennel; Sookhe masale wale aloo, whole spices roasted well and ground together mixed with new potatoes and tossed with fresh coriander; Baigan (Aubergine) Bharta with a difference; Cabbage and sesame pulao. Baked vegetables with aloo ka laccha served with assorted breads naan, roti, lachcha parantha and mirchi ka parantha and curd preparations like spring onion raita and imli ka pakodi.

For those with sweet tooth, the buffet offers a range of sweet dishes from the traditional Gajar halwa, to the innovative - crunch munches chocolate pudding and regular vanilla ice cream.

As for safety precautions, local taxi services will be in full swing on New Year’s Eve, and they are the safest mode of transportation for those who must travel. Even though you might be sober, another driver on the road may have over indulged. Hence, inform your driver to drive slowly. Make your New Year celebrations safe and memorable.

SUDHINDR A B

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