Low budget, fret not!

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Gone are the days when the only fun parties in town were those with a big budget. Those with a limited resource have planned “low-budget Diwali bashes” with friends, without putting the load on their wallets. From home-made hookah to rooftop buffet, youngsters have thought of innovative ways to party hard this Diwali.

Sanya Batra, a party freak, has various plans on this special day. “Firstly, we’ll be going for a dandiya party organised by our school. Then there’s a party at one of my friend’s place, which basically is a pre-planned “dutch-on” party. As there are around 15 to 20 of us, each has pooled in `200 for the bash. Besides pizza and mocktails, we are also planning to prepare flavoured hookah like apple and strawberry at home,” she says.
So while, some are planning theme-based “rooftop buffet party” at home, many are creating discos at home. Reveals Shikha Rawat, a media student, “I’ve planned a rooftop party at my place, where all my friends and cousins will come over. We will be decorating the house with rangoli and candles. With budget of `5,000 for 10 people, a buffet will comprise of snacks such as, cookies, chips and dips along with unlimited rum punch and home-cooked pasta and pizza. And if our budget allows, we might even have a barbeque,” she says. The theme Shikha’s party is 80s, where everyone has to dress up in 80’s disco avatar.
And Navdeep Singh, a hosteller, is setting up a dancing floor in his room itself. “We are planning to get some lava lamps and disco balls on rent, as we intend to dance till wee hours. We are also planning to watch some classic comedy films. As there are five of us, everyone will is responsible for their choice of drinks. We have contributed `500 each for some snacks and crackers too,” he says.
Giving card parties and crackers a miss, college student Karmini Sharma is planning a day out at Diwali melas at Surajkund, Dastkari Haat and Dilli Haat in the city.
She says, “Partying means being together with friends, so why not go shopping together this time? As Diwali evening is reserved for family rituals, we have planned an economical girls’ day out during the day. We’ll shop and also try out some delicious cuisines available at the stalls. Since everyone is responsible for their own expenses, it’s a reasonable get-together.” Seconds dog lover Deepika Sharma, who is celebrating Diwali by hosting a low-budget party for dogs. She reveals, “Crackers scare dogs, so we’ve planned a quite gathering for our pets. All my friends will come over with their pets. We have set the budget for `3,500 and we’ll be setting special treats for the dogs. For us, it’s a vegetarian menu sans crackers and booze.”
So there you have it! Enterprising youngsters have planned a party that’s not only cost effective, but also high on fun!