Where’s the party yaar?

Celebrations have changed over the years, and now more people are opting to party in a private environment, as opposed to throwing a bash in a public space. Café speaks to a few locals and finds out their preferred way to party

Published on:

22 Dec 2016, 1:03 am

As the concept of partying has begun to move out of

public spaces into more intimate ones, one cannot but

help think of the popular 2003 film, starring Kal Penn

and Sunil Malhotra, and ask the question, “Where’s the

party yaar?” While the Thesaurus describes the word

‘party’ as ‘a social gathering of invited guests, typically

involving eating, drinking, and entertainment’, the word

has gathered a broader meaning over the years; including,

a party that you may not need an invitation for, where

you are joined by other people that you may or may not

know, collectively driven by the mutual motive of having

a good time. And although there is a greater population

that believes in involving the general public and sharing

their happy moments, trends suggest that an increasing

number of people are going back to the true definition of

partying, and choosing to celebrate in private spaces, in the

company of close friends and family – the only ones who

matter.

“Celebrating in private spaces comes with a great

deal of advantages”, says Leroy Fernandes from Vasco.

Fernandes adds, “For starters, one has the absolute

freedom of getting the drinks and food of choice, which

also turns out to be much more economical. As opposed

to partying in public places like a restaurant or a pub,

celebrating privately negates the element of awkwardness

for the shy ones, and they can truly be themselves and

indulge wholeheartedly.” House parties also come with

the added benefits of playing the music of choice, and the

possibility of sleeping over to avoid driving after drinking.

Natasha Parekh from Panjim, who is bringing in the new

year at a house party with close friends, seconds the

thought. Natasha says, “House parties are just convenient!

They are intimate, no stress on the dressup, or the

company that you’re going to be in! It definitely is a big

save on the pocket- less fuel consumption, no unnecessary

drama of getting caught in never ending traffic...and you

know what’s best? Avoiding those ‘New-Year tourists’!”

The idea of celebrating in a private environment also

opens up a host of choices for the selection of the venue.

Ankit Choudhary, Party Curator, Champions Yacht Club

says,” The trend of ‘destination parties’ is now catching

up in Goa, and especially with the middle class. Instead

of spending more on inviting a higher number of guests,

they are inviting only those select few, and therefore

have a better spending capacity on things of higher value.

Yachts are a natural and a much desired preference.”

Choudhary feels that there is a greater need for the myth

that ‘only the opulent can afford yachts’, to be debunked.

He adds, “Yacht parties do not always cost a bomb. Things

can be tailor-made to suit the budget and requirements of

each client.”

So, with private parties being easy on the pocket as

compared to public merriment – at least in some cases,

and with the traffic snarls bearing the potential to play the