from daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, Dec 31: They are "gay" and they were really "happy" in Goa when they celebrated new year in Goa albeit a day in advance.

Hundreds of homosexuals from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Goa thronged a secluded place in this port town to revel in festivities to usher in the New Year.

The gay community preponed the festivities by a day and welcomed the New Year at an isolated house tucked on a hillock at Vasco last night.

The community's members from Hyderabad, Pune, Sangli, Belgaum, Nasik and Goa participated in the overnight festivities. Gay associations like Mukanayak (Sangli), Birds (Belgaum), Samapathik (Pune) and Goa's Humsafar Trust had publicised this party, which coincided with the birthday of a Goan gay community member.

A dance competition and the birthday celebration were the highlights with Madhuri Dixit's famous hits from "Hum Aapke Hai Kaun" and songs from Subhash Ghai's "Kisna" topping the playlist at the party.

Dressed like women for the dance competition, the revellers categorically rubbished the general impression equating them with hijras or eunuchs.

"Society should understand that we are normal and shouldn't look at us as a nuisance. Let us live our life with dignity," gay activist Lal Baig told at the party's venue. "Here at the party, we will do all those things which we can't do in society. We will dance, enjoy and spend good times with members of our community," Baig said before the party began.

Fun was not the only item on the agenda of the revellers.

"It's an occasion when we actually get the time to discuss our problems. Sans social recognition, we often can't hold meetings in the open. We use such opportunities to educate community members about issues like loyalty to a gay partner which will reduce their vulnerability to diseases like HIV-AIDS," Vishant Chodankar, a project manager of Humsafar Trust who is gay, said.

Goa, which has some 6,000 gays, has witnessed an increase in gay marriages, with 25 such weddings reported in the past couple of months in this coastal state.