CUTTACK: Christmas has arrived and churches, schools, houses and commercial establishments are decked with colourful lights rendering a bridal look to the millennium city. While the silver city is home to around 20,000 Christians including at least 4,000 Catholics, the festival is celebrated with pomp and gaiety in areas of Sutahat, Peyton Sahi, Makarba Sahi, Jachuk Lane, Stewart Patna and Chandi Chhaka.
On Sunday, shops and malls witnessed heavy footfall with people in large numbers rushing for last-minute Christmas shopping to buy gifts for their family and friends. A special craze runs among children and youngsters, especially, to buy Christmas trees and decorate them with colourful items, on the occasion. On the day, bakery shops, too, saw a mad rush of customers with the staff working overtime to meet the overwhelming demand for cakes.
Manorama Sarangi, resident of Mahanadi Vihar said she used to celebrate Christmas with a lot of excitement despite being a non-Christian. “Singing carols was a special part of the celebration as it spread the message of peace and joy,” she said.
Though the main celebration will take place at the Roman Catholic Church (Holy Rosary Cathedral) adjacent to St Joseph’s Girls’ High School and Odia Baptist Church near Stewart School from midnight with offers of service prayers, half-a-dozen other churches including the Church of God, Church of North India and Church of Epiphany in the city have been decked up to observe and commemorate the birthday of Lord Jesus.