Spirit of the season

JUNE CARVALHO shares the spirit of Christmas with some families and recalls several heartwarming traditions

When the first cards of the season begin trickling in from late November onwards, when the strains of carols being played are faintly heard and the flaming red poinsettias are in bloom, you know that Christmas is at hand.

 
Then, when the evenings turn nippy forcing woollens, musty from storage, to be aired; when show windows begin wearing a festive look of red, green and gold, and the nostrils catch the warm smell of goodies wafting from kitchens, you know that Christmas is already here.

There’s frenzied activity, notably in kitchens and commercial areas, during the countdown to December 25. The rich, rum-soaked plum cakes have already popped out of the oven and the wine, decanted and corked. Houses are awash with a fresh coat of paint, furnishings are changed and the furniture given a new brush of varnish. A Christmas tree twinkling with musical lights, a crib and colourful trimmings brighten the halls, while stars illuminate the main doorways of houses and in apartments, the balcony. As families ready their homes in anticipation of reunions with loved ones from distant lands at this special time of year, the devout prepare their hearts during the season of Advent for the coming of Jesus Christ. For, the entire celebration of Christmas is built around a renewal of ties with family and friends, and above all with God. It is supposed to be a time of sharing and giving.

The high point of the celebration is the religious tradition of the midnight church service, with a delightful choir in attendance. Traditions of carol singing, sending out greeting cards, tree trimming, distribution of specially made sweets and the family lunch are followed by many. Some continue to observe traditions like the Advent wreath, lighting a candle for each Sunday of Advent and for children, the Advent calendar to keep track of the 24 days before Christmas. The calendar usually depicts a colourful Christmas scene and each date is printed on a flap. One flap is opened daily to reveal a Christmas picture or a Biblical verse.

But have Christmas celebrations changed over the years? It would seem so, judging by the accounts of a few people from different Indian cultures, as they recapture the celebration of the Day as it was some 25 years ago. Cynthia R., who has made Bangalore her home in recent years, recalls fun-filled memories of the days before Christmas in the Mumbai of her youth, when the entire neighbourhood joined hands to make it a giant community celebration. Accompanied by the parish priest, the carolers visited homes to be warmly welcomed by people, regardless of caste or creed. They were offered sweets and at times little sums of money ranging from Re.1 to Rs.5! It was creativity to the fore as groups vied with each other for the best crib, spawning off Christmas crib competitions between lanes. A bustling mini-fair outside the church, selling balloons, crackers, hardboiled sweets and cheap, noisy toys were simple pleasures that greatly delighted.

Traditions are sliding downhill, she laments, squarely blaming the idiot box, the prime time grabber in most drawing rooms and the emergence of apartment blocks for the fading door-to-door carol singing tradition. Thankfully, churches, schools and choral groups have kept the singing tradition afloat through annual events. Also, kids in the “days of no-television” used their imagination to create their own greeting cards, tree ornaments and enormous stars using bamboo sticks and kite-making paper. With higher disposable income being one of the factors, almost everything is now available and bought for a price, giving rise to a booming seasonal business, she says. That Christmas has lost most of its simplicity and charm is an understated fact, rues another lady. “It has become a big social occasion,” she says, adding that hyped up western trends are thought the in-thing to be aped.

Her focus was on making it a Christ-centred celebration. The children were encouraged to make little sacrifices or a good deed a day. These were listed daily on small slips of paper, folded and dropped into little baskets bearing the children’s name tags. On Christmas eve, the baskets of sacrifices and good deeds were placed near the crib as their collective offerings to baby Jesus. This act, which was repeated during Easter, taught them values, to be considerate towards the less fortunate, of sharing and caring, says the lady, today a young-at-heart grandmother of seven adorable kids.
 

Since most of the cooking was done beforehand, except for the chicken that was left to slow roast in an oven, Christmas mornings were set aside to visit a bereaved family or a lonely relative. Then the family gathered at lunch over a largely Mangalorean menu, that over the decades has remained a standard set by her mother: pork indad, sannas, stuffed roast chicken served with roasted baby potatoes, sweet pulao, mint chutney, a salad and a vegetable dish. The lunch tradition continues, with a large, happy gathering of
the extended family of married children.

Miles away in the erstwhile Union territory of Pondicherry that was home to Etienne Rassendren, it is no longer the Christmas of yore when time was spent with the less-privileged at a village or to brighten up a day in the lives of prisoners or the aged. The whole day, except when the family met at lunch, was set aside “always for others”, to use a transliteration from Tamil. The main dish at lunch was not roast turkey, but turkey biryani garnished liberally with nuts and raisins! Shared with one and all were large quantities of “Christmas palagaram” (sweets) comprising athirasam, varieties of murukku, neyyi undai, rave undai and chivda. Advent was filled with a daily reflection, prayer and fellowship that often ended in helping with the preparations in the home at which they met.

 
Etienne reminisces that the inter-religious reflection held in his home fostered peace and goodwill between communities, in the true spirit of Christmas. People young and old, the domestic help with multiple religious affiliations included, were invited to be a part of it.
In another unusual custom, each person adopted an Advent godchild decided from a draw of lots. Prayers were offered for the godchild’s special needs, spiritual, emotional, even material. On the last Sunday of Advent, the godchild received a gift, not necessarily expensive, but something considered “appropriate”. Possibilities ranged from books to trinkets.

Gradually, as a gracious way of life gave way to new expediencies, the meetings shrunk to weekly ones. A new phenomenon called “Christmas shopping” also emerged.

In Bangalore, the Cherayaths kept their doors always wide open to carolers whose singing, if exceptionally good was recorded on a spool-type tape-recorder and immediately played back, much to everyone’s amusement. Rising late after midnight mass and the ensuing festivities, the day began with a typical Kerala-style brunch of spongy appams, stew and pork vindaloo. Lunch was not too elaborate and was had rather late with the speciality being a roast duck, bought weeks earlier and fattened before it was transformed for the table. Trays laden with kal kals, achappam (rose cookies), murukku, coconut barfi and cake were reciprocated to Hindu and Muslim neighbours, a popular custom that is still kept up by many. The postman, lineman and dhobi were among the grateful recipients of bagfuls of sweets while the indispensable house help deservedly got something extra. A steady stream of visitors and visits later, it was time to call it a day.

“At my parents’ place, it was always a breakfast of bacon and eggs,” says Sheila Kumar. The breakfast was preceded by a “go” at the Christmas crackers. To the uninitiated, Christmas crackers are brightly coloured paper and cardboard tubes that make an explosive crack when pulled apart sharply, and usually contain a toy, a paper hat, a charm or a fortune cookie. “They were imported ones, available in the Officers’ Canteen,” says Sheila, whose father was an army officer. The family exchanged little gifts and was generous with their helpers who were given a set of new clothes, cash and eats.

Lunch was an elaborate affair wherever they were posted, as it was the tradition to invite other officers with their wives. No specific menu was followed, but depended largely on the khansama’s culinary repertoire. The dining table was dressed in the finest linen from her mother’s awesome collection and a silver service.

If the Christmas set-up had somewhat western overtones at her parents’ place, Sheila was introduced to a vastly different style of celebrations after her marriage into a family settled in Chennai with roots in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The local custom of decorating the main entrance early in the morning with intricate kolam designs was religiously followed. Rich Indian sweets and savouries like Mysore pak, jalebis and vadas were the order of the day and prepared in heaps for distribution. The house would overflow with guests at lunch. The meal comprised mutton, fish, prawns, chicken and four or five types of vegetable preparations.

Back again in her late parents’ palatial colonial-style bungalow, her celebration is shorn of all the frills and the fuss. “It makes practical sense,” says she. What she has retained is the sharing and the giving which essentially sums up “the real meaning of Christmas” and is essayed in the words of a song that pleads to “open the eyes of my heart” and another that calls to make room for God in our lives. Happy Christmas!

© Copyright, 1999 The Printers (Mysore)Ltd.
(courtesy: Deccan Herald)

Christmas celebrated with traditional gaiety

DH News Service
BANGALORE, Dec 25

Traditional gaiety and fervour marked the Christmas celebrations here today. The preceding night was marked by midnight mass in churches and some cultural programmes. Lighted houses and lot of activity could be witnessed on the roads. Christian brethren exchanged greetings and offered sweets to one and all on the occasion. Beautifully decorated Christmas trees were seen in Christian households and churches. Men in blazers and women in groups were a common sight. They were either on their way to the church or on the way back home. Archbishop of Bangalore Dr Ignatius Pinto offered a Solemn Christmas Holy Mass early this morning at Infant Jesus Shrine at Viveknagar. Similar masses were held in other churches in the City. Several prominent streets in the city like Brigade Road, M G Road and Commercial Street were flooded with visitors, forcing the pedestrians to move at snail’s pace. Vehicle users had a tough time in finding parking slot.

MIZO CHRISTIANS: The Bangalore Mizo Christian Fellowship (BMCF) held the Fellowship Service at Baldwin’s Boys High School today evening. The service was followed by a feast, Bible quiz, some games and entertainment programmes. Around 200 Mizo students participated in the programme. Bangalore City Police Commissioner H T Sangliana, Mr Ransanga, Principal Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies department, and Inspector General of Police Pachuau also took part. The BMCF had on Sunday night organised carol singing at various homes which included homes for children of Aids patients and prisoners.

COUNTRY CLUB: Country Club celebrated this year’s Christmas with pomp, with Santa Claus going around with his blessings. Children got an opportunity to mount horses and take a close look at the sparkling light and the splendour from crackers that were used to deck-up the evening. DJ Riaz mesmerised the audience with Bollywood numbers which included ‘Chand Ne Kuch Kaha’ of ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ fame.

APPEAL: The Global Council of Indian Christians has extended Christmas greetings to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan President General Parvez Musharraf and has appealed for peace in the South East Asian region.

In a press statement, the National Convenor of the Council Mr Sajan K George, has urged Mr Vajpayee and Mr Musharraf that “as true statesmen interested in the welfare of the people, should strive towards removing suspicion and distrust among neighbours, hatred and prejudice between people belonging to different faiths in the two countries.”
(Deccan Herald)

 

Thousands pray for peace on Christmas
 
EW DELHI: Tension on the border cast its shadow over Christmas festivities in Delhi on Tuesday.

Thousands of Christians across the city prayed for peace between India and Pakistan as relations between the two neighbours plummeted after the December 13 attack on Parliament, which New Delhi blames on Islamabad-sponsored groups.

At a special inter-religious prayer meeting at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, the Archbishop of Delhi, Vincent M. Concessao, appealed to the Government to consider other possibilities than an armed conflict with Pakistan.

"War is in nobody's interest and there are no victors but only losers in a war. It is humanity that loses out and it is the poorest people who get the brunt of it.

"God, who reveals himself as love to humanity on this feast of Christmas, calls us to love one another. Only love can overcome hatred. Violence breeds more violence," said Concessao.

Religious leaders of different faiths attended the prayer meeting.

"Given the nuclear scenario (in the subcontinent), the prospect of a war amounts to a nightmare. We must ensure that the war on terrorism does not degenerate into a war on peace and neighbourly relationships," said Reverend Pannasara of the Buddhist community.

Thousands of Christians thronged the cathedral - and churches across the city - to attend Christmas mass. They participated in the reading of scriptures and the singing the carols and distributed cakes and sweets.

The city is home to over 100,000 of country's 24 million Christians.

"Christmas is a weeklong affair and people continue to celebrate the spirit of the festival by greeting each other and by giving gifts and alms to the needy and the poor," Reverend Dominque Emmanuel told IANS.

"Christmas is the feast of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Jesus desires everlasting peace for this world and for humanity. His message is more relevant and urgent than ever before," said Emmanuel.

( IANS )
 

Celebrating a feast to redeem troubled world
By A Staff Reporter

PANAJI, Dec 24: And so this is Christmas! Christmas arrived in Goa with the celebration of the traditional midnight mass and the singing of Christmas carols in the star-spangled night. All parishes were scheduled to have more day-time masses too. For this Christmas liturgy, the Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Goa has adopted the theme, ‘With his birth, Jesus, brings about a renewal in this troubled world’’.

Having spent the last few weeks in hectic preparation for Christmas, for most parishes of Goa, the full post-Christmas week is crammed with cultural competitions and festivities. In the North Goa district, the parish of St Jerome’s Church, Mapusa, in the South Goa district, the parish of Our Lady of Martyrs, Assolna, and many of the parishes in between have organised one-act plays, star, crib, singing, dance, fancy dress and other competitions.

However, in a departure from normal practice, this year many parishes are having ward-wise presentations rather than competitions. The pillars of the celebrations in the parishes remain the parish youth, often animated by the youthful village curate.

The Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, Panaji, has however, already conducted most of the Christmas programmes earlier in the week. The parish priest, Fr Santan Carvalho, said that since many members of his congregation go to their native villages for the Christmas holidays, the parish organised a ward-wise carol singing presentation programme last week and also distributed gifts to the poor. Besides, the catechism children had a Christmas tree party and a sports meet. A small get-together for
the poor is planned for the December 28.

Even as the youth raced against time to get their acts together, parents were equally occupied. Obviously, Christmas shopping never ends till the last minute but for many working woman, the ready-made sweets from pastry shops and bakeries are a blessed relief The staff of the St Francis Bakery at the Mapusa market worked valiantly today morning to meet the demands of the Bardez Christmas shoppers. But the crowds jostling for bebinca, dodol and dox were in cheerful spirits.

The market itself was crowded and resembled the chaotic Friday bazaar. Vendors of audio cassettes and CDs played the latest versions of Jingle Bells, I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus, and other Christmas tunes in English and Konkani. The Mapusa Merchants’ Christmas Festival Trust was selling lotteries in the market.

On the churchyard stage of the Mapusa church young people were seen rehearsing a skit well past lunch time today. The five main wards of Mapusa are slated to present daily evening programmes at the Mapusa Municipal market according to the Mapusa Parish
bulletin. These programmes will consist of Christmas carols, plays and variety entertainment programmes. Later in the week, special masses are scheduled; for the youth, for children and for couples who married in the last 5 years. Talks and fellowships are also planned.

The church programmes apart, young people across Goa don their dancing shoes tonight as the state comes alive with plenty of Christmas ‘blasts.’

CM, Governor extend greetings on Christmas

The Governor, Mr Mohammed Fazal, as well as the Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Parrikar, have extended their warmest greetings to the people of Goa on the joyous occasion of Christmas.

In his message, the Governor said that on this auspicious occasion, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who gave us the valuable message of peace, sacrifice, love and brotherhood.

In his message, the Chief Minister said the message which Jesus Christ gave to humanity, i e, peace and love, is till relevant and would create a just society if practised correctly.

Mr Parrikar also observed that for the people of Goa, Christmas is a festival which symbolises family reunion with the taste of traditional food and customs which are enjoyed in peaceful and in a disciplined manner.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mr Luizinho Faleiro also extended his warm wishes. He also wished the people for a prosperous New Year.

The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party too extended their warm greetings to all Goans and wished them a very happy new year

Cake, turkey, gifts, carols... Christmas is here
CYRIL D'CUNHA/TIMES NEWS NETWORK
 
PANAJI: Unlike in the West where it is a white festival with wintry night and snow, Goa's Christmas is unusually warm, and at times, stifling.

Christmas, literally meaning Christ's mass as the holy scriptures tell us, has at its core the child Jesus, born in simplicity in a stable in Bethlehem to Mary the Virgin Mother and her spouse Joseph.

Yet, to the Christian, this birth of the Son of God may not have taken place, were it not for Joseph's steadfast belief in God himself, who revealed to him that though he would have no part in the birth of Jesus, he would continue to be his father.

How close we came to not having a Christmas can be gauged from the fact that at that time, any woman found to be unfaithful to her spouse would be stoned to death by law.

This could very well have come to pass, had Joseph disowned her and the child in the womb would surely also be killed.

Joseph's role was crucial, though he had no direct hand in the birth of Christ.

While Christians all over the world savour the moment of His birth with joy, their homes invariably reflect this sweet moment.

The aroma of home-made sweets, `kunsvar', fill the air, including the traditional `nevros' (flour batter with different fillings), `dodol' (a rich, coffee-coloured preparation of gur, peppered with cashewnuts), `culculs' (twiny batter with different ingredients, deep fried in ghee or butter), `bebinca' (a multi-layered soft cake baked on wood fire or an oven), `doce' (gram sweet), to name just a few.

A rich repast also awaits the dining table, with special dishes made with turkey, duck, chicken, pork and the usual mutton and beef, with pulav or just rice and curry.

All this downed with choice liquors, in a setting of typical Christmas decoration. Shops are full of imported goods for the choosy, including figures for the cribs, for which competitions are being held all over the state, in addition to `star competitions'.

Bobby Kapoor, chef at the Goa Marriott in Panaji, stated that he had ordered 50 turkeys from abroad, for which there is a big demand. Dances galore have also been advertised by a number of hotels and private clubs.

But even as we indulge in the celebrations, we ought to spare a thought for the unfortunate few, caught in the tumble of wars, poverty and deprivation.

To leave them out would be to lose the relevance of Christmas, which can be identified in them, as its beginnings were as humble.
 

It pays to have a sweet tooth
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
 
PANAJI: Christmas is the season, which opens the window to the fascinating world of homemade sweets in Goa.

The different bakery shops that abound Goa, keeping up a tradition of a diet of variety cookies that started with the presence of Portuguese, are awash with colourful sweetmeats.

This is the time of the year when the homemade bebinca made of flour, eggs, sugar and essence decorates the shelves of the pastry shops in the coastal state.

It is different from the packed bebinca that is available round the year and a carry home for lakhs of tourists. This homemade sweet lasts for a couple of days and is a delicacy, say shopkeepers who point out that the tastes differ according to the mode of preparation. The ones subjected to wood fire would be different than the bebinca made over gas ovens.

The big sliced bebinca brushes shoulders with the diamond shaped doce made with gram flour, grated coconut milk and sugar. The brown coloured dodol is another delicacy which is very soft made in the shape of a disc and comprises of rice flour, coconut milk
and jaggery.

Pinagre is made of rice flour, grated coconut and jaggery. Culculs, Bolinha, marzipan fruits and Gateaux along with kokad and perad add to the seasonal mystery of the arrival of Santa Claus and his world of goodies.
(TOINS)
 

 
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
 
Christmas Eve is the time when Mumbai’s glitterati and in many cases the hoi polloi as well turn out en masses to revel in the festive spirit. And this year was no different. Despite a slow market and the faintest threat of war drifting through the city’s winter air.
Parties were abound in both the suburbs and the city as Mumbai’s who’s who threw bashes celebrating Christ’s birth with some spirit or the other. In Bandra, Borivali, Mahim and Girgaum, the faithful went for their early masses, but found the time to head straight for the parties thereafter. Although some did express their disappointment at the 10 pm deadline. Meanwhile downtown Mumbai throbbed with the bon homie of christmas. The mistletoe was in big demand and dare we say the yuletide season may spring a few relationships. The shops did brisk business with cakes, and last-minute shoppers picking up gifts for those they never claim to forget. Santa Clauses, large and small, added to the traffic, but the kids weren’t complaining. bombaytimes@timesgroup.com
_______________________
Of ringing bells and midnight mass
 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK
 
he jolly season has received a jolt - by a judicial decree, no less. But then, other jolly seasons too had received that same jolt! The law may sometimes be perceived to be an ass, but Justice knows no mercy and the blind goddess weighs the scales impartially,
without fear or favour, without discrimination or discretion. No dandiya past 10 pm, no Mass at midnight either. Not, that is, if it involves the use of loudspeakers. It is sought to be argued that dandiya is a form of revelry, whereas the midnight Mass is a religious ceremony, meant to soothe and uplift. There is indeed something magical about Christmas carols sung at that witching hour! But then, couldn't the same be said about dandiyas? Navratri too comes once in a year! That's the problem with multi-cultural, multi-religious melting pots — they sometimes sizzle too much, too often, for far too long! Besides, ears attuned to Western music often find oriental music cacophonous, and vice-versa. One man's Beethoven may well be another's Bismillah Khan, and rarely do the
twain meet! By and large, the Catholic community in Bombay has responded with grace and restraint, in a spirit of law-abiding acceptance. For those who imagine our law-makers, the Supreme Court, and the Bombay Police are acting spoilsports, let me disabuse your minds: as far back as 1851 was a spoil-sport known as Soltau, who resided in a house next to a Roman Catholic Church, whose priest was named De Held. De Held apparently delighted in ringing the chapel bell at all hours of day and night. This disturbed Soltau, who went to court (no, not in India,) and sought an injunction against the ringing of the church bells. Yes, the court held that the ringing of the church bells was a public nuisance, and that the plaintiff, Soltau, was entitled to an injunction. This injunction has its roots in the law of tort, much before environmental activism became fashionable, and long before environmental laws were thought of. The law of tort recognizes nuisance as actionable. The entire body of law on the subject to a great degree
represents a balancing of conflicting interest (eg: those who wish to use loudspeakers at night, for whatever purpose, against those wishing for a good night's sleep). What is or what is not deemed `reasonable' plays an important part in determining tortious liability. Now, however, the laws against noise nuisance have been specially framed, having statutory force, and are no longer dependent on the law of tort for implementation or interpretation. The regulations prescribed by the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 are clear-cut and unambiguous, as has been stated by the Supreme Court itself. What these rules prohibit is not the holding of the Mass, or the singing of the carols, but the use of loud speakers or public assembly systems between 10 pm to 6 am, except in closed premises for communication within, eg auditoria, conference rooms, community halls, and banquet halls. So, there is no blanket prohibition as such, on holding the Mass at midnight, nor on singing of carols — if held in the open, there should be no use of loudspeakers or public address system, after 10 pm — if held inside a hall, then use of loudspeakers permitted even at midnight. The problem is in the numbers. Large parishes have vast congregations, which cannot be accommodated inside churches. (What about school halls? Just a thought). As for carols, why use loudspeakers? Why not have the congregation singing Christmas carols together without the intrusion of the loudspeaker? Peace and goodwill on earth indeed! Merry Christmas, all! Pssst... a thought just stuck me: Will ships be made to pre-pone their hoots.
 

Fading glory of Christmas in Bangalore

By Utpal Bordoloi
DH News Service
BANGALORE, Dec 23

“Christmas this year is going to be relatively quiet and subdued because of recessionary conditions in the market and the aftermath of 9-11. People don’t have so much money to spend. There is less of illumination and decoration. But then even Deepavali was subdued this year. Police restrictions and the weather are some other factors,’’ says an old Bangalorean. As the Christian community of Bangalore prepares to celebrate the first Christmas of the third millennium, some of its older members are looking
back with nostalgia to how the birthday of the Prince of Peace was celebrated in an earlier, gentler time, in the middle decades of the last century, when the city was known as the “Pensioners’ Paradise.” “The colour has faded. Christmas used to be much more colourful about 40 years ago,’’ says Mr Imtiaz Ahmed, an old Bangalorean. “It was lovely.  Christmas was something we all looked forward to. There was no feeling of  being Christian, Hindu or Muslim. Petrol bunks and hotels used to be decorated. We used to have lots of Europeans and Anglo-Indians. They have gone and taken the charm of Christmas with them.’’ Mr Henry Nelson recalls: “Sixty years ago Christmas celebrations were mostly in the Cantonment area, not much in the city. We used to go from house to
house singing carols and the householders used to give us cake and coffee, or some money. We would make a nice collection and then we used to go and  have a tot. Commercial Street used to be decked up with lights. On 25th morning there used to be a Russel Market Show with competitions for the best produce like poultry, lamb, vegetables and fruit which were judged by the mayor and his corporators. Outside Russel Market a number of stalls used to sprout selling sugar confectionary shaped like stars, bells, animals, what have you.’’  “On December 25 all the clubs and restaurants in Bangalore used to have a Yuletide dance. You had to book a table in advance. There was a dress code. You could not enter without a lounge suit. Three Aces, Blue Fox, Metro, Koshy’s, Parade Cafe, all of them used to organise Christmas celebrations, besides Bangalore Club, Bowring Institute, Century, Catholic Club and the RSI for army people and their guests. They were very genteel affairs, not the vulgur dos of today.’’ Says Mr Vijay Chellaih, a businessman : “It’s become very commercial now, though more convenient. In the old days our mothers and aunts used to spend days together preparing the sweets and cakes. We used to make the decorations ourselves. Now everything comes from a shop.’’ But the spirit of caring and sharing, a central part of Christmas, remains. On Saturday, the Touch India International ministries organised a “Come Celebrate Christmas with Uncle Sangliana” programme at the Bangalore Community Baptist Church at Yeshwantpur where the City Police Commissioner distributed dresses to 300 orphans of the Thomas Children’s Home. Similarly, the Catholic Club began its Christmas celebrations on December 16 by organising a day of celebrations for almost 500 orphans. The St Mary’s Basilican Men’s association at Shivajinagar distributed food items, clothes and other necessities on Sunday to 600 families of KGF goldminers who recieved no salaries for the last eight months because of closure of the mines. Every church and Christian association in Bangalore organised similar programmes. “The message of Christmas,’’ says the Rev Dr Ignatius Pinto, Archbishop of Bangalore, “is that our salvation is at hand. We say Emmanuel - God with us. Man sinned, and God wanted to redeem man, so he sent his son Jesus Christ. Christmas is also a time when we celebrate peace. Jesus is the giver of  peace, the Prince of peace. Peace is the deepest longing and desire of our  hearts.Today’s world is stricken with animosity, hatred, jealousy and war.
 

So we have to introspect: what is the relevance of Jesus Christ’s birth today ? How is Christmas to be celebrated meaningfully? Each of us must examine ourselves and see where we have gone wrong ,’’ Dr Pinto told Deccan Herald at the Catholic club on Saturday.
(Deccan Herald)

 

What The Birth Of Yeshu Means To Me
CENTERPIECE by NANDKUMAR KAMAT

Intro: This is an exceptional case but there is absolutely no reason for Christians in India or in Goa to view Hindus with suspicion and hatred.

CHRISTMAS is undoubtedly the most widely celebrated global festival. The birth of Jesus was a historic, epochal event. By population, Christianity is the number one religion in the world at present. There are hundreds of variants of Christianity which blend
ideological, regional, continental and ethnic flavours. The Maronites of Lebanon may be different than the Nestorians or the followers of the Russian orthodox church. Central Americans and the Latin Americans have added powerful regional and autocthonous cultural dimension to Christianity. Irrespective of continents, regions, nations, races, nationalities, ethnicities what unites Christians all over the world is the single name - the magical name, aura, spirit and vision of Jesus Christ. Biblical scholars have come out with various interpretations of the birth, life, mission and message of Jesus. Historians and archaeologists working for decades in the holy lands, Palestine, middle east and the golden crescent have dug out contrasting evidence which neither proves nor disproves the reality of Jesus. Critically evaluated, Jesus appears to be the most powerful name in the history of the middle east, Asia minor and the declining Roman empire till the end of the crusades.

Poet, painter, artist, writer, spiritualist and visionary, Khalil Gibran has written a beautiful book - ‘Jesus, the son of man’. This was published much before Vatican - II and the birth of Liberation Theology. Gibran paints a realistic persona of the prophet from Nazareth who was the pinnacle of humility. The humble birth of Jesus itself is a magnificent symbol of the power of an idea. In the
birth of Jesus there is a hidden message for the world. Great ideas could originate from very humble beginnings. Jesus was a powerful idea of his time. This idea gave the power and courage to thousands of Christian martyrs who faced torture and severe brutalities in order to uphold his message. The greatest irony of the history of Roman empire was its total conversion by the power of Christianity within just four centuries of the birth of Jesus Christ.

There is some mystery associated with unaccountable years in the life of Jesus. There are speculations that young Jesus (here after I would refer Him as ‘Yeshu’) travelled to the east with the caravans on the famous silk route and picked up a lot of oriental
wisdom and knowledge. Some Hindu scholars even stretched their poetic imagination on the etymological front and attempted to compare Yeshu and Yeshoda. Jerusalem was not Jerusalem but Yadu-Isha-Laya - some of them proclaimed. Such comparisons or associations are good if these help in promoting inter-religious dialogue. To those who follow the ‘Sanatan dharma’ in its true spirit, a careful reading of the new testament would come as a revelation. There are passages similar to upanishadic verses. There is similarity of ideas which are propagated by the ‘Shramanadharma’ or Jainism and the Buddhist monks. We cannot reconstruct biblical history with the present geopolitical and national boundaries in mind. Post Hellenic invasion, there was more dynamic and vigorous interexchange between the Roman empire and the Indian sub-continent. The visit of the three magis from the east symbolise such interexchange. The three magis could be the three spiritual traditions of the east. Fire worshippers in Persia of Indo-Aryan stock were known as ‘Magis’. They were excellent traders and Caravan leaders. Biblical lands were linked to the ancient silk route. The birth of Jesus heralded a revolution in the regional equations. Yeshu was a rebel. He was a revolutionary. He was a reformist. He appeared on the horizon of history when the Roman empire was losing its pomp and shine. Tyranny had spread to distant regions. Dissent was not tolerated. The Yehudi society was stagnating. Yehudi temples had become dens of gamblers.

The time was ripe for the appearance of a messiah, a prophet who would churn the cauldron of the society. Yeshu of Nazareth offered a new vision to that society. His vision was so profound, fresh, novel and simple that its freshness lingers even after two millennia. Like all religions, iconic or non-iconic; idolators or non-idolators, Christianity also has its own sets of rituals from birth to death, from baptism to burial. But the martyrdom of Yeshu sets apart all other religions from Christianity. If the celebration of the birth of Yeshu of Nazareth is treated as an expression of immense joy - the ‘good’ in ‘good Friday’ equally expresses the joy of martyrdom - death for a cause, death for a mission. Bethlehem and Golgotha are poles apart in the magnitude of the events. But in between, these two spatial points cover a temporal space of an idea which would later change and transform the world. That idea was Yeshu.

It is wonderful to see that Christmas in Goa is celebrated on a grand scale. It is a festival which is no longer limited to the Christians. A large number of Hindus, Muslims, Jains and Sikhs also participate in the midnight mass. Christian families send sweets and gifts to their Hindu neighbours and friends. Hindus send greetings to Christian friends and well-wishers. At the level of the common folk where the polluting urban influences have not penetrated, Christma is a bonding, cementing, uniting, stress-liberating festival. Unfortunately this tradition is getting affected with the publicity of the anti-minority events at the national level. Christians and Hindus in Goa together with the microscopic minority of Muslims have a symbiotic relationship. I would rather call it a social ecosystem. This relationship has acquired some balance, some strength over the years and at no stage of history of Goa the members of this ecosystem have viewed each other with suspicion and hatred. But times are changing. Media revolution also means negative indoctrination. Take the gruesome incident of Steins in Orissa. Indians have unequivocally expressed their anger and shame about this heinous murder. But the day after it happened, in a heat of the moment, acting on an impulse, a Christian lecturer in a non-minority managed and publicly funded educational institution sent out all the Hindu students from the classroom. This is an exceptional case but there is absolutely no reason for Christians in India or in Goa to view Hindus with suspicion and hatred. Ninety-nine per cent Hindus would never approve any type of hate campaign against other religions. The participation of non-Christians in the celebration of Christmas festivities is an ample proof that Christianity is accepted, tolerated and loved. Yeshu belongs to everyone. Yeshu belongs to those who read noble thoughts in Upanishads. Yeshu belongs to those who read the Bhagvatas and Dnyaneshwari. In my dreams, I see Yeshu of Nazareth having a dialogue with Dnyaneshwar Kulkarni of Nevasa. It is a miracle that the composer of 18 Hindu puranas and the architects of Hindu Dashavatar (ten incarnations of God) did not include Yeshu as one of the avatar. From Reverend Tilak to Jesuit scholars, Lederle and Francis de Britto there is a great tradition of indigenising Christianity. We have to respect such scholarship because Goa has Thomas Stephens as pioneer of this tradition.

I gladly accepted a portrait of Yeshu as a wedding gift from my mother-in-law. My only complaint was about Yeshu’s westernised, American looks. My Yeshu is Khalil Gibran’s Yeshu. My Yeshu is Mother Teresa’s Yeshu. My Yeshu is a sage who composed a new Upanishad - the New Testament. Born as a Hindu, I have a better perception of Yeshu’s mission and message. Christmas
is as dear to me as Deepavali. Like Mahatma Gandhi, we have to become true Catholics in spirit.
(www.navhindtimes.com)
 

Lavish festive spread

Some people say Christmas is about family, some say it's about traditions, some say it's about toys, some say it's about sales. Come on! We all know what's really important .... The reindeer has been harnessed and the sleigh has been loaded up with this collection of Christmas recipes. All that's left for you to do is kick back and plan this year's extravaganza. Have a great time.

Almond pudding

Ingredients:
Milk 6 cups
Eggs 5
Almond paste 6 tbsps
Almond essence 1 tbsp
Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Custard powder 2 tbsps
Cream 1 cup
Strawberry jam 1 tbsp

Method:
Pour the milk into a clean saucepan. Beat the eggs
well. Make a thin paste of the custard powder with a
little water. Add this paste to the milk and heat. As
it begins to thicken slightly add the eggs. Remove the
saucepan from the fire and add the almond paste,
essence and the sugar. Stir well. Pour the mixture
into a steaming bowl. Cover and pressure cook for
about 10 to 15 minutes till firm to touch. Whip the
cream with the jam and serve it along with the almond
pudding.

* * *

Orange coconut fritters

Ingredients:
Self raising flour 1 heaped cup
Sugar 4 tbsps
Finely greated coconut 4 tbsps
Honey 2 tbsps
Orange juice 1/2 cups

Method:
In a mixing bowl add the flour, sugar, coconut, honey
and juice. Mix gently. Keep covered for some time.
Heat oil in a kadai and drop tablespoons of this
batter. Fry to a golden brown. Drain and serve hot
with a sprinkling of sugar.

* * *

Jiffy cake

Ingredients:
Maida 2 cups
Eggs 2
Baking powder 1 tsp
Icing sugar 2 cups
Water 1 1/2 cups
Chopped walnuts 1 cup
Raisins 1 cup
Chopped dates 1 1/2 cups
Butter 1/2 cup
Spice powder 1 tsp

Method:
Pour the water into a saucepan. Then add the icing
sugar, walnuts, dates, butter and the spice powder.
Bring to a boil and then cool. Gradually stir in the
well beaten eggs and the flour which was earlier
sieved with the baking powder. Mix well. Then bake in
a moderately hot oven for 30 to 40 minutes. When
slightly warm remove from the baking tin and cut into
squares. Sprinkle icing sugar and serve.

* * *

Walnut cookies
Self raising flour 1 1/2cups
Dalda 1/2 cup
Icing sugar 1/2 cup
Egg 1
A few drops of vanilla essence
Finely chopped walnuts 1/2 cup

Method:
In a mixing bowl, cream the dalda along with the icing
sugar with your palm till light and creamy. Then mix
in the slightly beaten egg. Gradually add the self
raising flour and the drops of vanilla essence. Keep
covered for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then make small
balls of this mixture and roll in the walnuts. Place
on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in a
moderately hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes. When cool
store the cookies in airtight cookie jar.

* * *

Coconut barfi

Ingredients:
Freshly grated coconut 2 cups
Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Milk 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder 1/4 tsp
Cashewnuts 8
A few drops of green food colour

Method:
Pour the milk in a handi. Then add the sugar and boil
till you get a "one thread" consistency.
Now add the coconut, the cardamom powder and a few
drops of the food colour. As soon as the mixture
begins to leave the sides of the handi, turn the
mixture onto a greased thali and flatten it out evenly
with a greased rolling pin. Quickly press the finely
chopped cashewnuts on the top. When cool cut into
desired shapes and store in a tin.

* * *

Chaklies

Ingredients:
Rice flour 2 cups
Butter 2 tbsps
Coconut milk 1/2 cup
Sesame seeds 1 tsp (broiled)
A pinch of salt
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Pour the coconut milk into a bowl. Then add the rice
flour. Mix in the butter and the broiled sesame seeds
with a pinch of salt. Knead well. If the dough is too
stiff, add a little more coconut milk to make a soft,
but not sticky, dough. Lightly grease a chaklie mould.
Put a small lump of the dough and press straight into
the hot oil. Fry till golden brown. Repeat till all
the dough is used. Store in an airtight tin when cool.


FIFIE MENDONCA
(www.hindu.com - Magazine Section)