3 New Year’s ‘Parties’ For People Who Hate New Years

There are two kinds of people in this world -- those who go to New Year’s parties, and those who just don’t. If you’re the second kind, you’re in luck. This New Years, instead of ordering in Chinese and watching Home Alone for the 1089th time like you always do, have the adventure of your lifetime. We’ve found three very unique alternatives to ring in the new year, and to us, they sound better than popping a bottle of champagne -- but we’ll let you decide for yourselves.

Pandora’s Box

Where: Pondicherry When: 30th December - 1st January

The myth of Pandora’s Box is one known to all. For the uninitiated, Zeus hands Pandora a mysterious box to keep safe on Earth, but her curiosity gets the better of her and she opens it, releasing all evil unto the lang. The only thing remaining in the box is hope -- and this is where we find ourselves today. This New Year, Pandora’s Oracle aims to undo what Pandora did and make Earth a better place for all generations to come.
Essentially an art and music festival, there is a focus on yoga, meditation, mindfulness and art workshops as well. Headlining the festival are Indian Ocean, DJ Sleepwalker aka Shantanu Ghosh, Tripotone from Digital OM Productions and DJ Mazhar; there are also going to be movie screenings, circus acts and stand up comedy. If you plan on attending all three days, you can camp out in tipis. If not, you can always get a day pass. There is a catch, though -- you have to submit a few answers and get accepted before you are given a key to proceed.
There are several pillars of belief that constitute Pandora’s Oracle such as recycling, segregating garbage, inclusivity, ingenuity, and self expression. It is necessary to read through all the oracles before you get to the key. The questions are simple -- if you share the values of a Pandorian, and if you are willing to segregate your garbage, all you have to do is tell them why you wish to be a part of the festival. Answer, and wait for the e-mail with Pandora’s key.

Cost: For all three days of the festival, including camping, it comes up to INR 6000. If you want to do just the day (without camping out) it would cost you INR 750 for the 30th, INR 3000 for the 31st and INR 1500 for the 1st.

To apply, click on the link here. Best of luck!

Between Years Slack Festival

Where: Lonavala When: 29th December to 1st January

This is a first of it’s kind highlining carnival out in the wild to bring in New Year’s under the stars. Imagine walking on a tightrope a few hundred feet off the ground, or better yet, hanging on a hammock in the sky. Also on the agenda are valley crossings on wires, hikes, slacklines, camping and of course, campfires and the music around them. You can stay the whole three days, or you could do a whole day trip.

Cost: INR 1500 for a one day pass that includes slackline access, workshop, a valley crossing, camping and a movie screening. For INR 4500 you can add on half an hour of extreme hammocking and 1 valley cross per person. Alternatively, you can get a season pass for INR 5000 which includes highlining, slacklining, workshop access, valley crossing, camping, movie screening and food for the first day.

Click here to buy your tickets!

New Year’s Eve at Band Camp

White Collar Hippie, a travel company that curates offbeat outdoor experiences, is back with its New Year’s Eve edition. The idea behind this trip is to listen to some good live music out in the open, away from the hustling mobs of the city. BandCamp is located off Gorai beach, just an hour away from Mumbai. Expect tents, sleeping bags and camping goodies  lots of unwinding at the main area and walks around the fishing village down to the sea anytime. The artists playing at this Band Camp are Flying Shoe, Aarafiah Rebellow and Manu & Chow. For a sneak peek at what the experience looks like, watch the video below.

Cost: A ticket costs INR 5000 per person.Go here to book your spot!Feature Image Courtesy Between Years

 Words: Tansha Vohra