Fun’s in the cards

Stakes shooting up to Rs 3 crore, party budgets running into a good many lakhs — taash bashes are all about fun, friends, and some serious money

Cards rule the run up to Diwali as the evenings are all about taash parties. Though most bashes are simply fun, the stakes in some can be seriously high. With Diwali taash parties in full swing, we speak to city celebrities about what’s trending this party season.

Apart from the regular teen patti, blackjack and poker are also popular. City-based designer Shalini Chauhan, who loves attending these parties says, “Over the years, the traditionally played teen patti has been sidelined by card games like poker and blackjack. The stakes range from small to really high.”

Elaborating on the stakes, model and taash party regular Amanpreet Wahi shares, “While ladies prefer playing variations of cards like lowest joker, highest joker, Dubai, neeche ka neeche uppar ka uppar etc., men prefer simple card games. We generally start from Rs 500 and go up to Rs1,000. While men generally play between Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000. The highest stake I witnessed this season was a whopping Rs 3 crore!”

These gatherings are all about having a good time with friends, Wahi feels, adding, “Money lost or earned during a taash party should be a secondary thing. While there are some biggies in the city who throw parties for around 200-300 people, others prefer private parties with close friends.

The budget for such parties tends to go up to Rs 20-25 lakhs.” Such parties are extravagant affairs with interesting hors d’oeuvre, the best of drinks and specially curated music lists. Wahi adds, “Unlimited alcohol, trippy music and three-course meals are a regular affair at such parties that go on till the wee hours of the morning. After dinner is over, breakfast for the next day is laid out while ensuring that the midnight hunger pangs of guests are taken care of with andaa paranthas, dal and other finger foods that keep doing the rounds through the night. I recently attended a taash party where popular rapper Badshah was performing for the night.”

Wahi prefers attending private parties with only 10-15 close friends. She adds, “Everyday we have different themes for such parties. Recently, we had a Pakeezah-themed taash party, where the attendees sported retro looks with shararas and matha pattis. At another one, all of us wore track pants teamed with cool shirts.”

Serious gamers have gone down in numbers over the years, says socialite Sunayana Chibba. “I remember those days when our friends and family used to talk lakhs at Diwali card parties, but now dressing up, good food and socialising have become the primary focus.”