BENGALURU: Bengalureans are in a celebratory mood this weekend as they pull-out their Sunday best for Easter tomorrow. Bonding with family and friends after having spent two years of the festival indoors, with some seasonal delicacies, the city is ready to celebrate Easter just like pre-pandemic times.
Medical practitioner Dr Aloma Lobo plans to spend the day with her large family of children and grandchildren. “There’s a church service that happens every day and it’s usually a family-oriented event. My children have moved away so it’s great to have at least half the pack join for Sunday lunch,” she says, adding, “But they want me to take a break this time so we’re going out for lunch instead.”
Hoping to relive her Easter days from the times she lived in the US, food blogger Rupa Balachandar will be going brunching to a star hotel where she will participate in an Easter egg hunt. “Both my boys, now 21 and 11, were much younger then so they’d always look forward to the Easter egg hunt at Central Park. We’d usually spend it with our neighbours where we’d have a potluck and sometimes I’d take Indian food too. I loved making the goodie baskets,” she says, adding, “I know my younger one will jump at the occasion but I’m curious to see if my older one will want to join in for old times’ sake.”
Author Shinie Antony will be spending Easter Sunday with her mother and brother who is visiting India after three years. “Easter isn’t always about food for us. Growing up, we would visit extended family, and attend Easter mass around midnight. Then we’d spend the rest of the day with family and friends who are like family.”
While everyone seems to have an elaborate plan for Sunday, blogger Deena Pinto is going with the flow. “The last two years have been spent in isolation so I haven’t been meeting anyone. This year, it’s a bit emotional without my parents as we usually celebrated it quite elaborately. We’d go to church the whole week ahead of Easter, start making delicious Mangalurean food on Saturday and have a gala time on Easter Sunday. This year, I might just spend time with my cats and a bottle of sparkling wine or meet my friends,” she says.
With fewer Covid-19 restrictions, energy architect and mindfulness teacher Avril Quadros is glad she can be around family without worry. “The last two years have been kind of sad because we couldn’t meet anyone or just hug them. This year I will be spending the day with my mother, cousins and my dog Tara. We will be attending mass in the morning and then heading to my cousin’s house for lunch,” she says.