The New Year will make a quiet entry in the national capital with the tsunami disaster taking a toll on the festive spirit of the denizens.
Perhaps taking a cue from President APJ Abdul Kalam, several clubs and cultural centres which host New Year's Eve bashes have cancelled their programmes to be held on Friday.
Even where the parties are still on, the countdown has begun on a relatively quiet note with not much publicity.
It was to be the biggest dance floor at the Habitat Centre and popular band Euphoria was to perform live. But in view of the tsunami tragedy, the party at Habitat World's `The Hub' has been cancelled.
"There will be no New Year celebrations at the Habitat Centre. All our member restaurants have also cancelled their events for the evening of 31st. With so many lives lost in the Tsunami waves and so much tragedy in the lives of so many people, we felt it will be morally incorrect for us to celebrate," said Habitat World spokesman Pramuch Goyal.
He said Habitat Centre members are being informed about the cancellation through e-mail and over phone and added that their response has been "supportive."
The Chelmsford Club has also called off its dinner-dance party to express solidarity with victims of Sunday's killer waves, said its Chief Administrative Officer Brigadier SM Sriram.
{{/usCountry}}The Chelmsford Club has also called off its dinner-dance party to express solidarity with victims of Sunday's killer waves, said its Chief Administrative Officer Brigadier SM Sriram.
{{/usCountry}}The elite Gymkhana Club, which usually organises live dance troupes and disc jockeys and hosts hundreds of guests on New Year's Eve, will wear a deserted look on Friday evening.