Dimapur: Streets across Nagaland resounded with carol singing on Friday to welcome Christmas, the most awaited occasion for the people of the state.
The Merangkongtsur Telongjem, Dimapur, took out a Christmas carol procession, along with its marching band, to mark the 150th year of the advent of Christianity in Nagaland from Old NST colony in Dimapur town in the morning while carol singers in pickup trucks were seen singing carols in the streets of the town in the evening.
With buildings and establishments across the state decorated and lit up, Nagaland, where Christians account for more than 90 per cent of the population, is all geared up to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ despite new Covid concerns.
However, some state government employees have not received their salary to date which is likely dampen their celebration even as a huge number of shoppers was seen buying clothes and other necessities for the occasion in the last few days in Dimapur, the commercial hub of the state.
“I will not be able to celebrate this Christmas the way I wanted as I have not received my salary to date,” a Nagaland government employee, who did not want to be named, said.
She said Christmas is a time of sharing gifts and helping people in need. “This time I will not be able to give anything to anybody,” she lamented.
Imnatoshi Longkumer, mission director, Dimapur Ao Baptist Arogo (Dimapur Ao Baptist Church), Duncan Basti, Dimapur, said, “We are going to celebrate Christmas in the normal way. We will have normal gatherings and prayer services in our church on December 24 evening and December 15 morning.”
He said the church has not received any information on Covid restrictions from the state government so far.
“If the Covid visits again and the situation turns otherwise, we will have to think,” Longkumer added.
Nagaland governor Jagdish Mukhi urged the people of the state to celebrate Christmas responsibly and march towards building a safe, developed and a prosperous Nagaland.
Extending heartiest Christmas greetings, the governor and his wife Prem Mukhi said: “25th December being the most important day of the year commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, let us renew our determination to follow His examples of forgiveness, peace and love.”
He hoped that this Christmas will be especially wonderful and that it will usher in a new year of peace. “Through this glorious occasion of Christmas, may the feeling of love and cheers fill the hearts of everyone throughout this holiday season and in the coming year,” the governor added in his message.
In its greetings on Friday, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee said: “Let us all pray through this season for the brotherhood of Nagaland to prevail for a united Nagaland.”