Andhra Pradesh - Ongole   

Young and the old welcome New Year

— Photo: kommuri srinivas

In high spirits:Youngsters celebrating New Year with a gusto in Ongole.

ONGOLE: Blending of tradition with modernity marked the New Year celebrations with the devout thronging places of worship on the one hand and youngsters indulging in fun and frolic to bid goodbye to the year that was and inviting the new one which heralds the birth of a new decade, with lots of hope and enthusiasm.

Youngsters poured on to the streets, burst crackers and raced on motorcycles shouting in chorus “happy new year'' on the arterial Gandhi Road and other places to welcome New Year at the stroke of midnight.

The decked up 102-year-old Jewett Memorial Baptist Church, the mother of nearly 2,000 churches for over 10 lakh Baptists in the State and neighbouring Karnataka, was the main centre of the celebrations. Members of the Christian community offered special prayers.

The tastefully decorated Saibaba temple at Lawyerpet as also the Venkateswara swamy shrine in the Chennakeshavapet, among other temples, witnessed heavy rush on the eve of New Year which continued at break of dawn. Former Minister Balineni Srinivasa Reddy was among those who took part in the celebrations at the Saibaba temple.

Activists of the Congress led by Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy as also TDP workers led by its district president D. Janardhan cut cakes separately as part of merry making.

Parties were organised in several apartments inviting friends and relatives for the New Year bash with mouth-watering dishes, music and dance.

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Young and the old welcome New Year

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