India, Oct. 11 -- A splash of cards: Pool parties take over this Diwali Forget the regular living room card sessions, this Diwali, Delhi-NCR's party circuit is diving straight into the pool. The hottest trend this season is poolside card parties, complete with floating card tables, private villas, and Insta-worthy setups. From organizers to hosts, everyone's talking about this "cool twist" to the traditional taash nights. Saurabh from Delhi-based Celebrate Occasions, which curates card-themed events, reveals, "Almost 75 percent of the bookings we are receiving this year are for pool parties. Hosts want a private villa with a pool that can accommodate at least 20-25 people, and they're specifically requesting floating card tables to play on - something completely new for us." Even regular hosts are loving the change. Gurugram-based Rohit Batra says, "It's a really fun concept. I keep seeing it on reels these days, and it gives the usual card party a whole new vibe compared to the indoor ones we do every year." Adding to the buzz, Ranjit from Blooms Events in Noida shares, "With the rise in demand, we're scrolling through social media ourselves to check what kind of floating card setups people are excited about. Hosts are also asking for long table layouts that can hold card games along with food and drinks. It's a whole new spin on taash nights." Candles for decor, Pinterest boards & picture-perfect vibes While pools are making waves, traditional Diwali decor isn't going anywhere. Megha Singh from Events By Megha explains, "This year there's a strong demand for classic setups with candles and diyas. Red and white is a really popular theme. But what's most interesting is that hosts no longer want endless discussions - they just show us Pinterest ideas and say, 'Give me this!' We then source the same kind of props. It's made the entire process much faster." Megha adds that the demand is so high, they're already packed: "We kick off our first party on October 11 and have 15 more bookings lined up till Diwali." Vegas, Goa. and all the glamour at home For some, taash nights are no less than a big-ticket Vegas experience. Madhav Singh from Showmaqers in Chattarpur says, "Earlier we just set up card tables, but this year people want an entire casino feel. Some hosts ask us for Las Vegas-inspired decors, so we build tall cardboard structures and use fairy lights to recreate that vibe. The ones with pools are going all out with Goa's Casino Royale theme." Fusion on the menu: Food gets a playful twist Card nights may be about the game, but the food is keeping up with the glam this year. Gurugram-based caterer and home chef Rhea Malhotra says, "People don't want heavy, sit-down meals anymore. Instead, they're asking for fun, bite-sized food that you can eat while holding a deck of cards. Instead of the usual butter chicken and paneer, hosts want playful, bite-sized food. Think cocktail-style golgappas, dim sum platters with desi fillings, and mithai reimagined as mousse shots. And since so many parties are moving poolside, the menus are shifting too. "We're designing food that's easy to carry around the pool , mini kathi rolls, pav bhaji sliders, chaat in little cones, nachos with Indian toppings. This year it's all about food that looks good on Instagram but is also practical for the party flow," Malhotra explains....