Thaindian News

Shillong, Dec 21 (IANS) It’s that time of the year again when live popular Christmas carols like “Silent Night”, “Jingle Bells”, “We wish you a Merry Christmas” and “Joy to the World” are being heard across the rolling hills and green dales in India’s northeast. The yuletide spirit is surely spreading among people preparing for the Christmas and readying to welcome the New Year.

In this picturesque capital of the predominantly Christian Meghalaya, choir groups are seen singing carols in churches and at public places, and well-stocked shops are banking on the Santa Claus to give their sales that extra boost.

Christmas and New year across the eight northeastern states - Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Sikkim - has always been different from the rest of the country. People from all faiths join the celebrations, strengthening bonds of togetherness and mutual respect.

“Everybody from the old to the young is in celebration mode as this is the season of happiness and rejoicing,” Robert Lyngdoh, a choir group leader, told IANS.

People are seen breaking into jigs at city squares as young choir groups sing popular carols to the accompaniment of musical instruments.

Other Christian dominated states like Mizoram and Nagaland are equally ready for the festivities. Houses in the main cities are decked up in a wall of sparkling lights, candles on the window sills and lit-up pine trees in the yards.

“We are preparing to celebrate Christmas and welcome the New Year by lighting the city with Christmas trees and singing carols throughout the night,” said Momee Lalranpui, a young college student in Mizoram’s capital Aizawl.

The festivities have brought in people to explore the delicacies of the state, boosting the sales at the eating joints here.

“From cakes to pies and puddings, besides smoked meat and vintage wine are some of the delicacies and drinks much fancied here by Christmas revelers,” said Rohan Rai, a hotelier in Shillong.

“We are geared up to meet the expectations of the people,” he said.

The consumer spending has shot up with the festivities around the corner.

“Business is increasing no doubt as people from across the northeast are flocking to Guwahati for buying gifts for their near and dear ones and fashionable clothes,” said Rupesh Singh, manager of a leading shopping mall in Assam’s main city Guwahati.

With many shopping arcades coming up in the northeast, shopkeepers have resorted to marketing tricks to woo customers.

“Come one come all - Santa Claus is waiting to offer you valuable gifts” - read a banner outside a mall in Guwahati.

There has been a considerable decline in the militant activities in the state of Assam. The festivities have brought the entire state together to stand up for peace and communal harmony as insurgencies have claimed thousands of lives across the hills and the plains of the entire region.

“Let us all join together in praying for a new dawn of peace and hope in the region,” said the Archbishop of Guwahati, Thomas Menamparampil.

“In almost all the churches, there would be special prayers like in the past where people would pray for peace and communal harmony,” the Archbishop added.

(Syed Zarir Hussain can be contacted at zarir.h@ians.in)