Revellers use umbrellas to stay dry as they take a walk in the drizzle at the zoo in Patna on Sunday. Sudden precipitation spoiled New Year day celebration plans of several people in the city. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, Jan. 1: Most of the citizens gave hangouts a miss and celebrated the New Year day in the cosy confines of their home as a downpour played spoilsport in the capital today.

The rain started this morning around 7. The day temperature dipped.

Those who returned home after nocturnal binges apprehended the drizzle.

Punaichak resident Nikhil Kant Mani said: “We had a party at a colleague’s house at Rajendra Nagar last night. On my way back home, I could see tiny rain droplets on my car’s windscreen. I was apprehensive that the weather will spoil my plans for today.”

His fear came true as a downpour threw a wet blanket on almost everyone’s plans. Rajdhani Vatika, popular as Eco Park, and the zoo had prepared themselves to welcome guests but those who braved the shower and the chill to visit these spots had to take shelter under trees or umbrellas as precipitation continued relentlessly. Plans of picnics had to be abandoned; the horse-drawn carriages outside Eco Park had no takers.

Bighrapur resident Sushil Kumar Sinha, who came to the zoo with his family, said he was disappointed. “I thought the children would enjoy coming to the zoo but the rain has turned everything muddy. It would have been better if we stayed home. I am afraid my children will fall sick.”

The scene at the Eco Park was no different.

Govind Mitra Road resident Priyanka Pandey, who had come to the green patch for a picnic with friends, said: “We had planned to celebrate the New Year with a picnic and had brought food from home. But the ground is wet, and we cannot sit anywhere.”

Those who stayed home had to be content with watching films and listening to music while savouring delicacies.

Buddha Colony resident Rakesh Verma said he had planned to go out but was advised not to by his wife. “She was right. So, I asked her to cook chicken biryani and downloaded some of my favourite Hindi and English songs from the Internet.”

The absence of revellers from the fun spots disappointed the plans of the facilities to begin the year with bumper revenue.

Subodh Kumar Gupta, range officer, Eco Park, told The Telegraph: “Last year, 18,000 visitors had turned up on the New Year’s day but the rain has spoiled the mood this year. I do not think that we will have more than 2,000 visitors this year.”

Only the water sport facility at Gandhi Ghat raked in some moolah in the afternoon, as water sport enthusiasts turned up in good numbers.

Tejkar Jha, the director of Royal Ganges, which operates the facility, said: “The turnout was low in the morning but people started pouring in later.”

They enjoyed themselves on the first day of the year riding water scooters and speedboats.