Kochi’s party-goers say coming down on parties for misdeeds of a few is unfair
Picture for representation purpose only.
Thiruvananthapuram: Night life is one of the most vibrant aspects of metropolitan cities in our country. Just like Mumbai and Bengaluru, Kochi is also known for its increasing nightlife culture. However, the phenomenon is under threat as the authorities are planning to enforce strict curfews and regulations on night parties. By government order, no alcohol will be permitted to be served after 11 pm — in effect becoming the deadline for all parties. The news has come as a big blow to party goers.
Majority of the party organisers say that the 11 pm deadline for liquor and parties will badly affect tourism in a city like Kochi. Sidharth Vijayan of Kochi Vibes, says, “The curb on alcohol supply after 11 pm and ending night parties before 12 is not a welcoming thought. This gives the state an Afghanistanish kind of image. Booze is a pre-requisite for parties, especially when we have a large number of foreign crowd here. Such curbs are going to affect tourism because, as they are not used to such regulations. Majority of the party goers know how to behave, so why do we need to enforce such strict rules?”
Parties and pubs are great places to socialise, but in our country, particularly in Kerala, it is still considered a taboo. Bars and pubs are looked upon as places which make money and in return churn out drunkards, who indulge in drunken driving and creating nuisance.
“People in our state are very stereotypical about late night parties and discos. But they should realise that it is the best place for relaxing, having fun and entertainment. There was an incident that happened during the New Year’s party. We were having a good time when suddenly a battalion of policemen burst in, shouting at us to leave the place. The way the law-keepers behaved was hurtful,” points out Reshu Rengaswamy, who says if the authorities must put a curb on the time and supplying alcohol, they should at least extend it till 1 or 2 am.
Reshu adds, “After a daylong hectic work, people want to relax in the evenings, especially over the weekends. If you have a house party, then it will be nuisance to neighbours. So party lovers go to pubs and clubs to let their hair down. Majority of the parties are healthy without any chaos. The need of the hour is to enforce law wisely to identify wrong doings.”
Since the law enforcers are strict about enforcing the rules, there is a rise of another category of parties like day parties and non-alcoholic parties. A food and beverage manager of a top notch hotel in the city, on condition of anonymity, says, “Day parties are not a practical idea. The question is who will come for such parties since a reasonable number of people work during the day. Most of the clubs in the major hotels follow strict rules and regulations. Crucifying the whole party culture is not a good system. The authorities should investigate and identify the wrong doers and take action against illegal clubs that run without proper licenses.”
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