Squadron Leader Anil Sehgal
“Jammu is a unique city quite unlike any other city in the northern part of the country.” “Flush with the riches of the material and divine worlds, the city has always been a cradle for mythology, religious beliefs and rituals, besides a strong sense of ancient values.
It is a city that was seeped in deep rooted traditions and a laidback lifestyle, right up to the middle of the last century.
Occasions like new year eve were never a part of large scale celebrations or public display of pomp and show. Thanks to the Christian population of the city, the new year celebration was no bigger than the Christmas.
Like birthdays, new year celebration was mostly a family affair where a few close friends also participated. In fact, the new year for the Dogras was celebrated on the festival of Lohri in January and Baisakhi in the month of April.
There was no concept of celebrating the new year eve in the sedate city of Jammu, right up to the early sixties. Only two festivals were celebrated with great pomp and show; Dwali and Lohri. In comparison, even Eid and Christmas were celebrated in low key”, says octogenarian Raj Kumar Chadha, a social activist and businessman, owner of Pari Mahal banquets.
” On festival days, our father would go out with two servants in tow, carrying big “thaals” . He will buy lots of sweets and return home to distribute the goodies to the servants at home and the workers in business. No cakes were ever cut. Havan and traditional pooja heralded the festivals, be it Diwali, Lohri or the new year”, he informs.
“It would be a cliche to say that from the sixties to the present day, the city of Jammu has changed. Of course it has changed; slowly, steadily and definitely. And so have changed the new generation residents of the city and the ways in which they live and celebrate.
“Change is an inescapable natural phenomenon. We must have the grace and wisdom to accept it open heartedly.”
“As we celebrate the first day of the year 2023, my memory takes me back to the second half of the sixties. “Those days, Jammu was sedate, small in size, and a very close knit orthodox Dogra society.
There were only two clubs in the city : Amar Singh Club for the civil society that consisted of well placed professionals, rich businessmen, bureaucrats, politicians, police officers and a few officers from the” armed forces.
Usman Officers’ Institute is primarily for the armed forces officers wherein a few bureaucrats are also admitted.
Institutional celebrations were set up in these clubs for festivals and the new year eve, and these celebrations were considered the events for the top crust of the society.
There used to be a Ladies Club also in the city, inside the Zanana Park, near the civil secretariat. This exclusive ladies’ club was very popular with the elite whose ladies frequented it especially on Sundays when Tambola was organised.
Tambola was a popular weekly event in this club. I have had the rare privilege to attend the tambolas at this exclusive den of the elite ladies since I was a regular contributor to Femina.
Femina was a hugely popular fortnightly published by the Times of India from Mumbai. I wrote extensively for this magazine covering events concerning the fair sex and their profiles. No liquor was served here.
There were a few hotels like Cosmo, Premier Glory and Natraj who put up good amount of decorations for the rich of the civil society.
Cosmo hotel used to have a live band that was an added attraction for the patrons. Hotel Premier too used to bring in a live band to fit the new year eve event. Rest of the hotels were primarily bars that served special menu for the events like the new year eve.
Later, in the early seventies, we had the luxury of Jammu Motel on the outskirts as you approach the Amar Singh palace on the national highway, followed by Hotel Asia, which acquired fast popularity.
Today, there are a large number of hotels in the city, huge banquet halls, and well spread out resorts. They all have put up events to welcome the new year.
But, what about the youngesters of the city ? How do they welcome the new year these days ? Well, Jammu is comparatively an affluent city. The rich amongst the youngesters gather at the resorts of their fancy to herald the new year along with their friends.
Today we have big gatherings in hotels, resorts, marriage halls, banquets, restaurants and what you have. Music by DJs is the new norm of the day. West oriented music is played at ear shattering volume.
Traditionally, the armed forces clubs and officers’ messes were allowed to play music at such low volumes that permitted comfortable polite conversation amongst the gathering. Loud music was strictly prohibited.
But, sadly, thanks to the modernization of the social norms, these elite institutions now play music that may shatter your nerves.
In the last century celebrations were low key with recorded music played at respectable levels. Today, unless you have a DJ, the party is just called tepid and uneventful.
In olden days, most of the parties were held in the four walls of the drawing rooms at home where friends and relatives joined together to welcome the new year.
Many a party pooper went Dutch. Every”participating couple cooked one dish each in their kitchen and brought to the party venue. Such efforts created a sense of close community and bonhomie.
Who will ever dream of such Dutch gatherings in the modern society where extravagance and oneupmanship is the law, and no more a rarity.
I hardly need discuss the present day new year eve celebrations, which you all know better than me !
I have the pleasure and honour of conveying to you, the esteemed readers of Daily Excelsior, good wishes for a happy new year 2023 ! “May you all stay happy and healthy throughout the year 2023, and, of course, for the years that follow!
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