SR December-15 issue pdf

COVER STORY ||||| CELEBRATIONS
From above: A crib depicting the
birth-in-the manger scene; Christmas
being celebrated in Kerala; Baath is a
traditional Goan Christmas cake
NOW FLYING
SpiceJet has several flights to Guwahati,
Agartala, Aizawl, Silchar and Bagdogra
in the North-east, and to Kozhikode,
Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram in
Kerala. Log on to www.spicejet.com for
more details
decked up in tinsel and lights,
and the arrival of Santa Claus
in a rickshaw remains the
biggest attraction. On
Christmas Eve, it’s hard to
ignore the carol singers when
you walk past churches like
St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is
packed to the hilt for its
famous candle-lit midnight
Mass.
THE KERALA WAY
In Kerala, where Christians
account for nearly one-fourth of the
population, Christmas celebrations are
nothing short of grand. It’s mostly
traditional with churches and homes
tastefully decked up with cribs depicting
the birth-in-the manger scene and stars
twinkling on Christmas
trees. Carol groups of
churches and art clubs
get busy visiting houses
singing traditional
songs. Christians claim
that the message of Jesus
was preached to their
forefathers by Apostle
St. Thomas, who landed
at Kodungallur in
Thrissur in AD 52.
CHRISTMAS IS A
SEASON THAT NOT
ONLY PROMOTES
A SENSE OF
TOGETHERNESS BUT
ALSO ENCOURAGES
THE ACT OF GIVING
NOSHING IN THE NORTH-EAST
The North-eastern part of the country
is no exception to Christmas
celebrations. Shillong, which has a
significant Christian population,
celebrates it with pomp and glory. Most
churches have local bands playing
gospel music. The choirs in this part of
the country are arguably the best. When
it comes to food, don’t miss dohneiiong, a
pork dish made with black sesame
paste, usually eaten with rice or rice
pancakes. Manipur celebrates this
occasion in a tranquil manner with
prayers (held in churches across the
state), community feasting and
exchanging gifts. Mizoram celebrates it
over the course of three days. In
Nagaland, Mokokchung is particularly
noted for its extravagant Christmas and
New Year celebrations.
That could be attributed
to its unique tradition of
celebrating Christmas
and New Year in the
main town square at
midnight. Meanwhile in
Assam, Guwahati’s St.
Joseph’s Cathedral in
Panbazar attracts
visitors with its eyecatching
decorations.
60 ||||| DECEMBER 2016