
South Goa was vibrant on New Year’s Eve, but not loud. There were people on the beaches, but not crowds. And, when you looked closely, you found that it was the locals, from the villages around, who had headed to the shacks to ring in the New Year.
Like most places in Goa, New Year's Eve parties went on through the night, winding up early in the morning, with the low footfall of tourists not hindering celebrations and hopes of a better year.
Whatever the issues at hand, there are certain times of the year when locals will not allow anything to douse their merriment.
“New Year’s Eve is a time when everything else is forgotten and all gather to celebrate the past and look positively at the future. People had pre-booked and the party was good,” admitted Mario, owner of a shack that saw people streaming in after the clock had struck the midnight hour.
The beaches drew tourists and locals on the last evening of the year, seeking to capture pictures of the last sunset or introspect on the year that was ending.
As the sun dipped, shacks lit up, attracting crowds for the various specials planned for the New Year celebrations.
“We have come to capture memories of the last sunset of this year. We are not sure whether we will be able to come next year, so we have decided to make the best on the last day of our holiday,” shared Vivek as he and his female partner captured moments for posterity on their smartphones.
Not many tourists staying in resorts were around; they came out later, after the resorts ended their celebrations an hour or two after midnight. That was when guests walked to the beach to join the fun in shacks that vibrated till dawn, with food and drinks flowing.
“Five-star resorts sell their rooms during the end of December, coupled with the New Year celebrations and that is why we do not expect a crowd from there. Foreigners prefer to party indoors. Locals drop in after midnight mass,” explained Zezito, as he took a break to rest his aching muscles from working tirelessly in the shack.
Some, however, prefer a quiet evening with family. “New Year, for us, is about staying awake till midnight, wishing family and going to bed to arise early the next morning. That has been the tradition for years,” said Rathore from New Delhi.
“We have a few extra drinks, a little bit of dancing with family and a nice meal. We spend the last day with family and that helps us have a blessed start to the year,” he added.
Mark, from the UK, is among those who stays away from the crowds. “I come to the beach early and leave early because this is the time of the year when a lot of accidents happen and that is why we prefer to celebrate with friends at our homestay,” he explained.
“The south is a paradise compared to the north on the last day of the year. Here, there is a flavour of looking back and forward with no madness, as in the north. I can say we are lucky to have made this our destination,” said the Englishman as he took a large sip of beer.
There was dancing in most places, and beats appeared scattered in the sand, but it was no time to worry about the rhythm. “After a certain point, steps do not matter. It is all about how one’s body moves,” said Aloysius.
As the sun rose on the New Year, the scene was different. The beach wore a graffiti pattern of plastic and bottles, and the sea appeared to be waiting to wash away hangovers.