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Good bye 2017 welcome 2018

By AT News |

GUWAHATI: Defying a pinching cold wave millions of people in the north eastern state of Assam bade good bye to 2017 and welcomed 2018 amid much fanfare and night long extravaganza.

Sounds of firecrackers, church bells, prayers from the temples mingled in the air as soon as the clock struck 00.00 marking the exit of '17 and entry of '18.

This was followed by feasting, dancing and what not to mark the occasion. Mobile phone networks remained jammed for a couple of hours as the consumers started exchanging new year wishes to their near and dear ones.

Most of the houses in the urban and semi urban areas started dazzling in the colourful light decoration from dusk to welcome the new year.

The capital city of Guwahati wears a festive look in the hectic evening as denizens here, mostly, got busy with shopping and marketing to mark the occasion. Music systems are playing favourite songs in most of the city households.

Other towns in the state are no less agog with festivity from Sunday evening as the preparations to greet the new year gathered momentum. Bars and restaurants are teeming with revellers who wanted to catch a glimpse of it. But this time the government has allowed these bars and restaurants to remain opened till midnight with no liquor consumption in public places.

Despite these slew of strictures, celebrations are going on in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Namrup, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Nagaon, Biswanath, Tezpur, Sonitpur, Mangaldoi, Biswanath, BTAD areas, Karbi Aglong, Dima Hasao, Sil char, Karimganj, Hailakandi.

Governor Jagdish Mukhi, Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, political leaders, various organizations have wished the people on the occasion. Www. Assam times.org has wished its correspondents, contributors, visitors and well wishers a happy new year.

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