Revellers at Rajasthani Mahotsav. Picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Tantra ? and the nightclub team ? could have a footfall fight on its hands this New Year?s Eve from an unexpected quarter ? tradition. Far from the deafening, smoke-filled dance floors rocking to techno or trance in the Park Street-Camac Street zone, star-lit fair grounds in Salt Lake and breezy farmhouses, Dandiya beats and the call of the kirtan are beckoning revellers on the last night of the year. And the young party people are not all turning their backs on the traditional trek to year-end fun.

At Aapno Gaon, a Rajasthani fair that started on December 24 at the Bidhannagar fair grounds, GenX pushed the footfall count to 4,000-plus on Christmas. Party and disc hopping, queueing up in front of crowded restaurants, 19-year-old Puneet Maheshwari had done it all till a year ago. But this New Year?s Eve, he will head for the Rajasthani Mahotsav to enjoy the DJ nite and ?traditional? fashion show. ?Going to nightclubs can become embarrassing if you are with cousins or family members on 31st night. At the Rajasthan mela, I can hang around with my friends till late and my parents won?t mind. Also, with the entry ticket priced at Rs 100, it?s far more affordable for us,? says the Bhawanipur College student.

Payal Mittal, 23, stresses the safety factor at traditional gatherings with a higher turnout of families. ?Any girl would be worried for her safety on Park Street on 31st. The ambience at the fair is so much more reassuring.?

The variety of food and fun on offer is a big draw for the young brigade, ?We keep telling youngsters that they should be familiar with our tradition and culture, but do they have a choice on the big nights? Our objective is to offer every age group some clean fun,? says V.N. Chandak, president of Lok Sanskriti, organisers of Aapno Gaon. ?Gauging the mood we have decided to keep the fair open till 1 am and arranged for a DJ, a small dance floor and ethnic food. We expect more than 8,000 people on New Year?s Eve.?

Classical music for clean fun is the latest fad at farmhouses in the suburbs on the last night of 2005. ?I will be bringing down some santoor players from Mumbai to my farmhouse in Barasat, for a gathering with friends far from the maddening crowd of the city,? says businessman Anant Nag.

And then, there is the kirtan crowd. ?Every 31st December we have a prayer meeting in the temple, from 11 pm to 1 am. More and more youngsters in the 18-25 age-group are turning up. Of the 200 people on Christmas Eve, more than half were youngsters, some accompanied by parents and grandparents,? says Nanik Sambatani of Amrit Vela Mandir, off New Market. ?I prefer staying out of the party frenzy on New Year?s Eve and ushering in the New Year on a quiet note with family and friends at a kirtan,? says Vijaya Raja, 23.