CHENNAI; Joy to the world! The Lord is come Let earth receive her King!
I am greeted with the echoes of this Christmas classic as Kivikali Yetthomi answers her phone. With just two days left for Christmas, she was wrapping up a choir practice session at a friend’s place. For Kivi and her closelyknit circle of friends in the Palavakkam neighbourhood, the pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns did little to dampen their festive spirits or press pause on going ahead with their annual rituals.
"We will be having a virtual service at our World Harvest Church in Adyar. It will be followed by our carols and cultural performances by kids. I’ve celebrated Christmas both in my hometown Nagaland and in Chennai. Each has been a different yet memorable experience.
I live away from the city, so there aren’t many people from the Northeast community in my locality but friends from the city have been extremely warm and welcoming. All of us have decked up our home with stars and Christmas trees. We will exchange gifts and scrumptious treats on the eve and have a bonfire at one of our places," explains an elated Kivi who moved to the city a decade ago.
Spreading Christmas cheer
While the pandemic may have toned down the grandeur of celebrations by several notches in many households, families of the Northeast community in the city are not willing to compromise on the little that they can do, it seems.
In the past decade, over 10,000 people from the northeastern states - predominantly Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland - have come to the city in search of livelihood. Christmas, for them, has long since been time for the yearly reunion - a chance to bask in the spirit of company and feel closer to home.
This time around, however, with many people in the unorganised sector moving back to their hometowns - not being able to sustain the losses incurred during the pandemic-induced lockdown and its aftermath - there are very few still looking forward to the annual ritual. Naga Reju Fast Foods owner Maong Jamir is one among them. Far from Palavakkam, in Choolaimedu, the air is celebratory as Maong Jamir and his family ring in the Xmas spirit.
For someone who’s made the city his home since 1999, Maong looks forward to Christmas Eve as the year-ender occasion that lets him catch up with the near and dear ones. Members from the community, scattered across the city, assemble under one roof to have a hearty dinner and friendly banter.
"To avoid crowding, we will be meeting at a resort or a friend’s house. We will be preparing good portions of our traditional spread, comprising heirloom staples such as axone - a fermented soya bean curry, smoked pork and a vegetable soup made of seasonal produce and bamboo shoot.
All the ingredients and spices are freshly brought from my hometown in Nagaland. That aside, there will be doughnuts and a plum or cream cake for desserts,” he details. What Maong and friends will miss is the visit to the church. After all, this is the only time they get to dress in their traditional garb. “Each tribe from each state of the Northeast community has a local style of dressing.
We, the men of Naga community, wear a waistcoat and scarf with embroidered patterns inspired by nature. The women wear a wrap-around skirt paired with a bright-coloured top sporting elegant floral motifs. We would indulge in numerous photoshoots and it would be a fun-filled affair. This year, although we will be seeing each other, the excitement has not been the same. There’s only so much a virtual session can compensate for the conventional in-person interaction,” he says.
The show must go on
Going by the standard operating procedure mandated by the government, the Naga Christian Fellowship Chennai’s services will be held virtually. Wapang Toshi, the pastor of the fellowship, has put together - with the help of a team of 20 - a three-hour programme comprising cultural performances, choir and a prayer meeting.
"Usually, our community members attend services at CSI St Matthias' Church, Vepery; CSI Egmore Wesley Church; Shiloh Church, Adambakkam; Assembly of Jesus Christ, Neelankarai; Vepery Gospel Hall or Christian Media Centre, Teynampet," he said.
This year, the live streaming will happen from Matthias' Church. Among the highlights is a special service that is to be delivered by a former member of the Naga Christian Fellowship Chennai, Thuji, who is currently residing in Singapore. She will be talking about the birth of Jesus, the meaning of Christmas and what it means to the current generation.
"I'm expecting 300-400 members from around the globe to attend the services," briefs Wapang, who’s also the president of the Northeast India Welfare Association, Chennai Chapter. Richard Yano, a fellow member in the coordination team, says that only 30 per cent of the members of the NIWA are left in the city.
However, he’s happy to point out that they have received maximum confirmations in terms of attendance for this year’s virtual programme. "There will also be a small service for the core members, who will be coordinating the entire virtual programme at the church," reveals Richard.
Together, forever
Members of the NIWA have also planned individual performances for the online event. Rinchon, a pianist for the NIWA's choir, is glad that many families have stepped up to put their best foot forward and come up with an engaging schedule.
Recollecting her experiences from previous years, Rinchon reminisces about how the members of the choir would meet up every day before Christmas and have latenight practice sessions. "The group of thirty harmonisers and band members would go out for dinner after practice. Earlier, we would have to schedule choir practice based on each person’s schedule. This year, even though we were all available online, hardly any of us could find the time to rehearse. So, we decided to contribute in our own ways," informs Rinchon.
The interest shown by youngsters, who form a majority of the coordination committee, for the virtual programme has particularly garnered accolades from the elders of the community.
Worthing, the president of the student division of NIWA, says, "When Mr Toshi told me that we needed to organise a virtual Christmas celebration for our members, I knew that we were the right people he had approached. We asked if anyone in the NIWA youth division would like to volunteer with us, and people came forward immediately. We had editors, designers and coordinators making sure that all our members were informed about the event. It’s been nice to feel like a working team once again. Especially because we haven’t been able to do anything after the lockdown."
Worthing, like many others, is excited about the long-awaited celebration. Pandemic or not, staying true to the value their religion upholds, Kivikali and Maong will be continuing their charity for the needy. While Kivikali and her friends would visit orphanages and old age homes; Maong and his friends would offer food.
"Back home, we would have dinner for people in the neighbourhood after the services. Here, not many like the food we prepare. Yet, we try and reach out to the poor in whatever way possible. As a community, this time around, we come together and celebrate harmoniously. Being a minority, we've got each other’s back in the times of needs. People from the city have also been affectionate and accommodating. Here’s hoping that the new year brings in prosperity. We want all the members who’ve gone home to come back and start their lives afresh," shares Maong.
Christmas Worship Service by Naga Christian Fellowship Chennai will be held on December 25 at 3 pm on Google Meet. Link: meet. google.com/zcb-cowy-uwo
(With inputs from Naaz Ghani)