New Year Eve!

The day is celebrated with a lot of fervor and prayers, parties and social feasts across the world. A special occasion for people in India where they celebrate it like Diwali. It has turned to become national festival over the years. You will find the excitement and enthusiasm about celebrating the eve of welcoming the New Year all over the country. 

When I was in my school, we used to spend some time with friends near my house, watch people bursting crackers, roam the streets and then go home. But as days went celebrating New Year seems yet another festival especially for me. I started my career in a software company on Dec 6^th 2006, just 25 days before the New Year. Being a US based concern, they celebrate X-mas and New Year, with events, parties etc.  

The management of the company had plans for us and had organized for an event in a reputed 3 star hotel on the eve of New Year. We all went there to take part in it but alas, it was nothing special except for the crowd. We couldn’t see what was happening in the stage, who the chief guest was, who is doing what… etc. We all went back to office had some talks and returned home. The next day as usual went to temple, watched a movie and spent the rest of my time watching programs in television. 

I didn’t want to do the same from the next year onwards. Discussed with my friends and we all planned to celebrate it in some hill station, differently. We planned a trip to Ooty to celebrate the end of 2007. It was 29^th Dec and my manager had invited our team to his house to have a party. I couldn’t deny it as it was the first time, went that night to his house, had nice time with him, cooking, chatting, gossiping etc. The next day morning we were supposed to catch the train at 7 AM in the morning. I didn’t know what to do, while I was on the way to my native the next day, gave him a call and said that my grandpa is serious and I have to be there. He said take care, no issues and dropped the call.

Finally went to Coimbatore on 30^th, had some time with my friend lakshman’s family, hired a van which could accommodate 20 of us, and started traveling. Reached Ooty, roamed, enjoyed to the core and were back to Chennai on 01^st evening.

One year ran like anything and we friends planned a similar outing to celebrate the end of 2008. But I had to get permission from the same manager this time too. Being in sales I was given some targets which I had to complete before the end of Dec 31^st. Besides, according to our plan I had to be there in a forest resort some 40 kms above Kodaikanal with my friends for that New Year. What do I tell my boss? My colleagues were kidding me like anything as the day neared… By gods luck I had achieved some 82% of my target but what reason can I give my boss to get my leave approved?                                                                                                     

Grandpa.. Ohh he passed away last year, grandma… no she is alive, not feeling well… no, reason gave by me the previous week …. Gosh.. no ideas..hrrrr. couldn’t think of anything…

Suddenly my friends were planning to attend another friend’s brother marriage near Madurai, from where we had planned to start to Kodai. The marriage was on 29^th December and I had to bunk 3 official days to celebrate my New Year. I had no other go than to say that I had viral fever. Monday went by, Tuesday passed and on Wednesday night suddenly I received a call from my colleague informing me that my boss had read all the mails about the plan for my New Year celebration and he is waiting for my arrival. I don’t know whether I should call him to make up the situation with him or he will call to blast me. Finally called him and told him that I am sick and that I have come to my native to take rest. He had no other go but to get convene, he kept silent and dropped the call. 

The next day after few other friends came from Chennai; we all met together and started to Kodai… this time we were frustrated. The guy who arranged for the trip didn’t turn up and the place which he said sucked liked hell. It was nearly zero degrees there and most of us were shivering like anything. The van got punctured, no power, no shop, we didn’t have anything to do but enjoyed to the core… Went to the house, called the watchman, asked him to cook, to our surprise there was no gas stove, he had to cook using wood, no power till the next day, had dinner and started gossiping about each other, our future etc. Lit a couple of lanterns which the watchman had and started partying. As usual started the next day from Kodai, to catch our train to reach Chennai.

Though my reasons seemed childish, I wanted to be with my loved ones, enjoy the moment and have a fruitful year. I can very well tell my manager about the celebrations and get permission but not every year. Being in Sales we also have other commitments to be achieved. I know I can’t sacrifice both, but a couple of days by the year end is no big game. 

Hours went, days went, months went and I had also changed my company. Things running fine now thought of penning down about my New Year Celebrations, this year to celebrate the end of 2009, with the same friends in Chennai but with a different lie to a different Boss :-).