2017 Began On a Hangover That Refuses To Die Down.

Rarely have plans worked according to the plans that have been made and that’s the kind of motivation I need to make new ones. Nahi samjhe? To make it simple, executing a proper plan with a large group of friends is such a task! But then the desire to go out, spend good time with your friends never seems to end. In fact, more memories are documented while traveling than any house party did. 

This is about a random plan. A plan that germinated over one sutta session at a small shop one evening... The 31^st December eve was nearby and who would want to spend it at home? Definitely not for some who harbour voracity for journeys. It was that one line by a friend ‘I want to start my New Year in an open space, I need no roof over me’ which kicked in some making of a good plan. Where? Any place where there would be just us, booze, and then good times were guaranteed. But this simple prerequisite of no crowd at a time when every other person wants to just go out and have a good time was difficult.

We parted ways by just saying Jo bhi karenge, jidhar bhi jayenge, apan apan saath hai toh phir kya baat hai!

Over the next few weeks the plan had been done of about 20 people going out on a camping trip! Oh yes! How this escalated is another story altogether. An idea had transformed into a plan, taking shape of an organized camping trip. 

The place was decided, the travel was taken care of, food and stay facility (tents) was managed. It is no mean feat to gather 20 friends and get them all ready to reach a certain place at a certain time, taking into consideration everyone’s convenience. We had some new one's coming too, just for the experience. So some of us took the responsibility of sort of ‘arranging’ it. We even made an itinerary to follow. Oh and excitement was rocketing anyway, don’t ask Bro! We all were going out in a new place, all of us together, fun was guaranteed like muft muft muft!

We were supposed to leave tomorrow, the main planning of the facilities was done so what could go wrong?? Well, everything! Well, the place where we were going had about 5000+ people coming there to camp too. Definitely didn’t want to be a part of mini Kumbh Mela! We decided to change the venue, we are Boss like that. But then it would mean coordinating everything again with not 2 but almost 20 people. We had less than 24 hours to even leave. We got a call from the guy giving us tents that there are no tents left. Bhenchod! (Sorry man, but that was my immediate reaction) So basically, we not just not have a place but also didn’t know where everyone would sleep. Shit! The organizational responsibility suddenly seemed like a boo-boo! Now while we had to search for a new camping site, we also needed tents. 

We began calling up every other name in the camping and renting space, I checked till page 3 of Google homepage to get numbers (yes seriously!) I had turned into a helpline handler almost, but only I was in danger here. Finally, we got through someone who had last 4 tents remaining. God Bless His Soul! We discussed everything and now things seemed sorted. Side by side we had a location in place. We were leaving tomorrow.

Staying true to the tradition of insulting the itinerary, everyone missed the given deadlines. Well, again 20 people travelling from different corners of the city, each had their valid reasons of delay. Half the day was going away and everyone was behind the set plan. Since this wasn’t a professional grouping activity, we were okay. Eventually everyone did manage to reach the venue around the Middle Vaitarna Dam (30 minutes away from Kasara).

A pretty good spot which we had managed to find

Site surroundings

It was a plain barren land at some height, with a stream of water flowing below. Your eyes faced a mountain and behind was a dusty towering plain. We weren’t in middle of any valley or a mountainous range but we were at a relatively scenic location away from prying public. The atmosphere was serene, the night was falling.

The camp was set. Campfire was just ablaze, the camping playlist was tuned, barbecue was being made! Majja was just getting started. Everyone was pretty settled by now. 

The night became darker and colder. We had filled it with laughter, sober music and the flavour of the food being prepared was mixing in the air. As the temperature fell by degrees, so did the inhibitions among the new ones who had joined us. While some helped in cooking, some extended hands to keep the campfire going. The conversations turned to how everyone was feeling at that very moment and they more or less shared the common sentiment of 'Bahut bhaari lag raha hai sabke saath.' 

It was soon midnight, the time to start the new year clockwise. It struck 12 and all of us hugged each other tight. We not just said Happy New Year but also shared the warmth of our presence with each other. The celebratory hugs were in high spirits. Or rather these were not hugs, they were an embrace! Not one or two, but twenty-five. 

It was an altogether different high for me of having managed to get 15 friends around me, equally close to each other, drunk and sharing the happy high. All individually had made the choice to share the spirit of starting the new year with no roof above us, in a new place, with some new company. I as a part of the ‘organising’ had somewhere got their trust that we could do this. It did not need everyone to reach at the same time but at least at the start of 2017, we had been together. The campfire wasn’t the only thing emitting warmth this night, but sitting shoulder to shoulder, sipping on our drinks, discussing stories, singing songs, sharing the celebratory vibe was warmer.

It was about 2.30-3 am, the temperature was dipping, people had gone to sleep. Tents were occupied and some of us were left to fend for ourselves on a sort of blanket, out in the open. Lying down under the night sky, just as we wanted… I saw the stars decorate the otherwise dark plain sky, my best friends were by my side, our collective plan was a success, the year had begun, and the inner quench relieved. 25 people turned friends were together, they were happy, we all were lying on some random plain land with no one around but ourselves. Just that some were inside a tent, some out, enjoying the shiver.  

We had been tired and sleepy, we had cooked ourselves, were working around the place, the campfire by now was almost dying but not the spirit. It was the gratification I guess which wasn’t letting us sleep. And of course, our fun still continued, meant not letting someone sleep or laughing over someone else's snoring. 

The first day of the year was just an extension of the remaining fun that we could have missed out on. I could go on and on!  

Us. 

It is exactly a month today to this celebration. And somehow that hangover refuses to go. I remember...

I laid there, a silent spectator of the patterns made by the stars above, the cold wind flowing, there was silence around except our own cackling voices. And then I could see shooting stars. Not one, but one more, and one more later…

But for once, I did not know what to wish from them! 

For me, that night and the day that followed were anything better than I could have asked.  

PS: The guy who had suggested to spend this eve in the open air, was among the earliest ones to sleep inside a tent! 

PPS: This post is dedicated to all those who chose to spend the New Years Eve with us. We felt trusted to curate an experience for you. And of course those who made it happen, organising it the way it should have been despite the odds. I am glad to have you'll by my side and confident that we can be well prepared next time. You Know Who You'll Are.