Chennai, Jan 1 (IANS) People in Tamil Nadu welcomed the New Year by thronging temples and beaches Wednesday. At midnight on Tuesday, they bade 2013 goodbye by partying, bursting crackers and greeting one another.

Some temples performed special prayers Tuesday midnight, while hotels did brisk business with special programmes throughout New Year’s Eve.
On Wednesday morning, temples across the state witnessed huge crowds. Special prayers were conducted.
Those who went for a morning walk exchanged New Year greetings even with strangers.
“I went to a temple in the morning to pray for a peaceful 2014,” J. Muralidharan, a public sector employee, told IANS.

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