We wish you a Merry Christmas
Christians decorate their houses, put up Christmas trees, make elaborate cribs with Nachani grass and figures of the infant Jesus, Mother Mary, Joseph, the three kings, shepherd boys and their herds. Both men and women, young and old take pains and designing them. They decorate the Christmas tree and put up star-shaped lanterns.
The whole family gets together to prepare sweets, bake the Christmas cake, and for the sumptuous Christmas lunch, with at least two types of meat dishes and a fish dish. Sweets and wine are served to all visitors. Family members and close friends exchange gifts. Families get together around the Christmas tree, from whose branches hang exquisite decorations and at its base the gifts, which youngsters look forward to most of all.
The entire city wears a festive look. Shops and bazaars are brightly decorated, and offer attractive bargains. Streets and markets are stocked with festival wares. The perfect dress or suit with the right accessories is worn to midnight mass and the dance that follows.
Carol singing gets everyone into the Christmas spirit. For the young ones, the much anticipated visit of Santa Claus and the gifts he brings is the highlight. The Christmas spirit is not just for the day, it pervades into New Year; the festive mood lasts for at least a week. Santa Clauses move through the streets with glittering, colourful robes and glowing long white beards and whiskers, shaking hand with children.
The day is spent meeting friends and relatives. Greeting cards wishing joy and peace are exchanged. Nights take on a life of their own, with dances, carol singing and revelry.
And why not? We are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity and saviour of humanity. It is not just Christians that celebrate Christmas. People of other communities in India also look forward to this festival of goodwill and greetings. Even in times of deep discontent, anger and frustration, the Christmas season is rung in with a feeling of happiness and goodwill.
It is such a happy time that we sometimes forget that Jesus was crucified, that the early Christians were hunted in the Roman Empire and had to practice their religion in secret. To publicly profess their religion meant a grave risk to life. We forget that Christmas is also a time for charity, when we should do a good turn to those less fortunate than ourselves.
We have certainly lost much of that spirit, being overly preoccupied with the commercial side of Christmas and overlooking the real elements that make this festival the extraordinary occasion it is. Of course one should celebrate. One should spend, prepare and plan. Christmas is a great festival, but we should look forward more to the Christmas spirit than to the Christmas spending.
Gross injustice
A Chattisgarh court has sentenced 60-year-old Dr Binayak Sen to life imprisonment on charges that he committed sedition by aiding Maoists in the state. It convicted him on two counts of sedition and conspiracy, but found him innocent of waging war against the state.
It is a completely outrageous verdict. Dr Sen worked in rural and tribal areas, with the poorest of the poor. His was one of the few voices raised against the notorious Salwa Judum; he exposed its excesses. This earned him the ire of the state government. He was arrested and held for two years without bail. Now, he has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Surely he will appeal. But incidents like these make one wonder whether India is actually a democracy…
