Residents of Hubballi Dharwad and adjacent places welcomed the New Year with much fanfare bursting crackers, cutting cake, distributing sweets and with dance and music.
Restrictions on playing high-decibel DJ music did not dampen the spirits of the revellers as they continued their revelry post-midnight with music, dance, food and beverages.
New Year parties organised at various hotels and restaurants saw good turnout despite the restrictions and the police keeping vigil over such venues as a precautionary measure.
Couples of different age groups and youths were seen participating in the celebrations in large numbers.
In most of the residential areas, celebrations were held in small groups and at apartments. As the clock ticked 12, the revellers shouted in unison welcoming the New Year and then, colourful crackers lit the skies. At hostels and PG facilities too, the celebrations were vibrant.
Meanwhile, food joints made good business as many chose to celebrate the New Year at home and ordered online. Bakeries did good business too as people lined up to buy cakes to celebrate the New Year.
In many areas, young girls and boys wrote Happy New Year 2024 on the roads as part of the celebrations.
Meanwhile, music enthusiasts had their own style of celebrating the New Year by organising small karaoke music events in their respective areas. They took turns to sing old melodies of different languages till it was past midnight.
After the clock ticked 12, people, especially youths, gathered at traffic circles and, in a few places, they arranged for campfire and danced around it.
As a precautionary measure to prevent motorcyclists riding at high speed at midnight, the police installed barricades across the twin cities and vehicles were also checked as a precautionary measure.
On Monday morning, many devotees visited temples and mutts to offer puja on the first day of the New Year.
