Countdown has started for the "World's end" in Hyderabad"

December 21 will probably come and go but Arya Mohanty is religiously counting the number of days left before the world eventually comes to an end. 

Praveen Kumar Chintapanti, a psychiatrist at "Tranquil Mind" in Jubilee Hills is treating a lady who wants to commit suicide along with her family members since she is unsure how painful the "doomsday" death would be, while others are watching the Hollywood blockbuster 2012 several times and some partying hard thinking their days are numbered. 

For those who are not aware of the latest prophecy doing rounds, the world might just come to a sudden end on December 21, 2012, at the completion of a 5125-year cycle known as the "long count" in the Mayan calendar. 

While scientific groups debunk the theory, many Hyderabadis among other citizens of the world are caught in a state of frenzy with plans of family and friend get-togethers in the last few hours before the clock ticks over to the D-day. 

"Looking at the natural disasters happening in quick succession over the past few years and going by the climatic changes and pollution, I strongly believe that the doomsday theory is true," said Arya Mohanty, a 23-year-old software professional working in a corporate firm in Begumpet. 

Arya, who is planning a gathering of close friends at a location in the city is not only going overboard with his belief on this theory as many are behaving in a similar manner. 

Purnima Nagaraju, a city based psychiatrist has been encountering such patients for the past few months. 

"I had met a few teenagers who had become addicted to drugs and alcohol for the past few months. I tried to know the reason and they all replied that since the world is anyway ending, they decided to have fun," Nagaraju says. 

"At first, I thought they were just coming up with silly excuses but later realized they strongly believed in the theory and were even breaking in to cold sweats and were having panic attacks at nights." 

Authorities at the BM Birla Science Centre are getting calls and receiving visitors with questions about the doomsday theory and whether a sudden alignment of stars and Earth would indeed trigger a catastrophe. 

The prophecy is that the world might just come to a sudden end on Dec 21, 2012, at the completion of a 5125-year cycle known as the "long count" in the Mayan calendar 

Apart from rubbishing it, authorities said they are going to issue a note on why people should not fall for the doomsday theory. 

Some scientific groups and social organisations are inviting people to talks and awareness programme on this issue.

"We are planning to invite students and teenagers to witness planetary movements through a telescope and this is to instill confidence that nothing will happen," said Srinivas Jhawar, chief coordinator of the Astronomy Club of Hyderabad. But some management of restaurants and pubs are planning to make the best out of the doomsday theory with many planning special parties from December 20 evening onwards. "We are likely to call it a doomsday party and since December 21 is a Friday this unique theme will pull in more weekend crowd," said a club manager.

Source from one of the Newspaper