Demonetisation throws wet blanket on Mr Old Man, big parties

BELAGAVI: The people of Belagavi are set to welcome 2017 with great enthusiasm, but on a shoestring budget, as opening up the purse strings has become a challenge due to demonetization.
Each one is engrossed in planning a different celebration, and burning Mr Old Man seems to be the most common way. Made of hay, bamboo and paper, the old man represents all the sorrows of the year gone by and the new year is brought in by burning the old man and all the sorrows and gloom of the previous year along with him.
Originating in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Mr Old Man tradition dates back to 1924, and is famous in the Camp area of the city.
Mallesh Kamble, who has been making old man effigies standing 2 feet to 15 feet for many years, said that he gets about 30 orders every year in advance, but this year, demonetization appears to have hit business; he has booked only 20 effigies.
Although Belagavi is a Tier-2 city, the people here are influenced by Mumbai and Goa culture, and celebrate the New Year in style. Many event management companies organize parties in indoor halls, lawns and grounds, offering celebrity DJ music, singing and dancing, food and drinks to youths and couples. But demonetization has affected this too, with not many coming in to book tickets.
Amit Patil, an event manger with Devine Fame Company, said, “We’ve organized New Year celebrations at Rs 700 per ticket but since there is low response, prices were slashed to Rs 500. It is difficult to sell tickets due to the currency problem so we are accepting cheques too. We were expecting about 300 bookings but have managed only half the number till now,” he said.
Veeraj Joshi, a college student who celebrates New Year with friends every year, said that celebrations will not be on a grand scale like last year, rather, they will have a party in a friend’s home.