Shillong:
From a midnight dip into the icy water of a swimming pools to concerts, private parties and prayers marked the New Year celebrations in Meghalaya Thursday.
Revellers of all ages descended on Khyndai Lad here to greet the New Year with music, lights and food.
In order to attract tourists to explore Meghalaya, the government also organised the first-ever Shillong Midnight Festival which acted as a confluence of local music, dance and food in the heart of the city.
"The Shillong Midnight Fest is planned with an aim to increase tourist potential to Meghalaya," Matsiewdor War, director of arts and culture said.
Three prominent Shillong-based rock bands -- Cubicles, Dossers Urge and Fourth Element --serenaded the crowds with their popular numbers amid the chilling breeze.
As music, lights and food entertained the people at Khyndai Lad, another group of revellers greeted the New Year by plunging into a swimming pool's icy water at the stroke of the midnight to welcome 2015.
This time the revellers had decided to make the New Year celebration more interesting by placing 70 ice blocks, each weighing 50 kgs, in the Crinoline swimming pool before taking the midnight dip.
"This is our style to welcome the New Year with a prayer to God to give us strength to face the challenges of life," said Michael Syiem, the man behind the event.
Participants were not allowed to take any kind of intoxicants ahead of the event, as the organisers felt drinking would negate the event's objective.