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Artists, known for their creative spirits, often host the most vibrant and meaningful celebrations, seamlessly combining their artistry with festive cheer.
Across the world, people mark the occasion in unique and memorable ways, blending traditions, festivities, and personal flair to make each New Year’s Eve unforgettable
The arrival of a new year is a time for celebration, reflection, and connection. Across the world, people mark the occasion in unique and memorable ways, blending traditions, festivities, and personal flair to make each New Year’s Eve unforgettable. Artists, known for their creative spirits, often host the most vibrant and meaningful celebrations, seamlessly combining their artistry with festive cheer.
A Breath of Fresh Air with Artists
Kathak exponent Shinjini Kulkarni shares a delightful glimpse into how artists celebrate the New Year. “Celebrating New Year with artists is usually like a breath of fresh air,” she says. Unlike the usual rigor of kathak performances, her gatherings take on a playful and relaxed vibe. Friends and family of the arts community often switch from classical traditions to modern fun, breaking into Michael Jackson dance moves and singing breezy Kishore Kumar tunes instead of the customary kathak bols.
What makes these celebrations even more special is the spontaneous potluck spirit. Shinjini reveals a lesser-known fact: “Almost all artists are brilliant cooks too, so the NYE parties become a spontaneous potluck get-together.” This combination of creativity, camaraderie, and culinary skills makes her New Year’s Eve gatherings truly unique and memorable.
A Blend of Tradition and Elegance
For Padma Shri Guru Shovana Narayan, New Year’s Eve is a beautiful amalgamation of joyous festivities and meaningful traditions. “New Year celebrations, besides the joyous festivities, have always been accompanied by prayers with a traditional ‘puja aarti’ at home and also by attending a Church mass in the traditional Austrian manner, expressing gratitude to the Lord for His benevolent grace,” she explains.
Her celebrations often take inspiration from Vienna, where she spent many New Year’s Eves before 2020. “New Year was always ushered in at Vienna in the traditional Austrian manner with friends and family gathering together at home, sometimes with a ‘costume’ theme,” she shares. The evening would include a sumptuous dinner, and as midnight approached, the large St. Stephen’s bell would herald the new year. The atmosphere was made even more magical by the sound of Johann Strauss’s Blue Danube, to which everyone would waltz through the night.
On special occasions, Shovana and her family welcomed the New Year at the Viennese ball at Hofburg Palace, dining and dancing in a regal setting. The morning of January 1 was reserved for attending the prestigious New Year’s Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein, an event broadcast to millions worldwide.
Bringing Vienna to Delhi
The onset of the pandemic in 2020 brought significant changes to Shovana Narayan’s celebrations, shifting them from Vienna to Delhi. Yet, she has maintained the essence of her traditions. “From 2020 onwards, we always had our friends gathering at our residence for an extended garden lunch that went into midnight with our close family and friends,” she shares. The Viennese traditions of midnight greetings, champagne toasts, and waltzing to Blue Danube remain central to the celebrations, now infused with the warmth of her Delhi home.
A Divine New Year: Bharatanatyam at Dwarkadhish Temple
Every New Year celebration feels special, bringing fresh energy and a sense of new beginnings. “But the 31st of December 2021 holds a particularly cherished place in my heart. That year, as we emerged from the challenges and negativity of the severe Covid wave, I had the privilege of performing a Bharatanatyam recital with my students,” says Apeksha Niranjan, Bharatanatyam Artist.
The event took place at the stunning Dwarkadhish Temple in Raigadh near Mumbai, a place of immense beauty and spiritual significance. Every year, the temple hosts cultural programs on the 31st, and in 2021, I had the honor of being part of it.
Niranjan adds, “Surrounded by my students, family, friends, and a warm, appreciative audience, we performed inside the sanctum of Shri Krishna. It was more than just a recital—it was a deeply meaningful experience. While New Year’s Eve is often marked with parties, this presentation was unique for me. Performing an art form so close to my heart in such an auspicious setting felt like a divine blessing, a perfect way to usher in the New Year with hope and positivity.”
This moment remains a treasured memory, a celebration of art, faith, and renewal.
The Magic of Artistic Celebrations
Apeksha Niranjan, Shinjini Kulkarni and Shovana Narayan offer a compelling look at how artists infuse their celebrations with creativity, tradition, and joy. Whether it’s potluck gatherings filled with laughter and dance or elegant evenings steeped in Viennese culture, their New Year’s Eve festivities remind us of the beauty of blending art, community, and tradition. As the clock strikes midnight, these celebrations stand as a testament to the joy of welcoming the new year with gratitude, creativity, and love.
