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Christmas comes just once a year!
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The turkeys are gobbling a hundred metres away from New Market’s clock tower and decorations are up at Bow Barracks. Except for the magnitude, little has changed in the way we usher in the festive season.
The turkeys are gobbling a hundred metres away from New Market’s clock tower and decorations are up at Bow Barracks. Except for the magnitude, little has changed in the way we usher in the festive season.
Outside the cluster of red-brick buildings off Central Avenue celebrations are on in full swing. At Bow Barracks the spirit of Christmas lingers long after 25 December. Monday is a special day for many children visiting this area. Santa Claus will be around to distribute gifts to around 500 children. On the following night, community members will gather around 9 p.m. to dance, and chat, the night away. Caring and sharing are two important elements of Christmas week. So, on 30 December “senior citizen's day” will be celebrated with various games and dance ~ in the words of one of the organisers, “they never fail to have a good time”. Next year, the Bow United Organisation hopes to celebrate in a “bigger” way.
Coming down to New Market area, things have changed little except for the price of turkeys and fruit cakes! The underground market has forced turkey sellers to move a hundred metres away but sales are as good (or bad, according to one vendor) as last year. The going rate for turkeys is Rs 350 per kilogram, which on bargaining reduces quite a good deal. Most of the turkeys sold here weigh between three and six kilograms.
Inside the market, Chinese-made Christmas tree decorations are selling but not as much as in the other years. The reason is simple: competition lies outside the market. As for Christmas cakes, turn up at any new confectionery and hear those magic words: “fuurt" cake. Be it the small round-the-corner shop near your house or plush markets, fruit cakes are selling by the dozen.
So, what's special this year? Two weddings in the Armenian community ~ Victoria Stephen and James Wong, and Elizabeth Marcar and Janik Zadoorian. It was over a decade ago that Armenians in Kolkata witnessed a marriage. While Elizabeth Marcar and Janik Zadoorian got married on 22 December, Victoria and James were blessed on Sunday.
Incidentally, the Armenian community celebrates their version of Christmas on 6 January.
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