MY INDIAN FAMILY CHRISTMAS

MY INDIAN FAMILY CHRISTMAS.

Recently a work colleague of mine asked me whether as a British born Asian did my family and I celebrate Christmas in this country and what did it actually mean to me?

I thought it was a very interesting question and something to ponder about.

India is a vast country made of up of 22 different states. There are Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Zoroastrians, Buddhists and Jews. The religions, languages (languages include English, Hindi, Kannada, Tami, Gujarati, Bengali to name but a few) and cultures are diverse. North Indian traditions are very different from Southern Indian traditions and this surprises people.

My parents were brought up in the state of West Bengal in Calcutta. We are a Hindu family and I want to talk about what Christmas means to us as a British Indian Hindu Bengali family.

When I asked my parents how they celebrated Christmas in India it seemed very simple in comparison to Britain. My mother recalls that is was like a national holiday. It was and is still known as Baba Din, Boro Din meaning Big Day. “Merry Christmas”in Bengali is “Barodiner shubhechha janai”. It was quite exciting and fun. It meant time off school and spending time with family and friends. My mother would go out for a picnic at the local gardens and the weather was always lovely and cool. My father mentioned similar memories: it meant time spending with his mates.

My parents did not recall anything about Christmas cards, Christmas trees, Santa Stockings, Christmas dinner, presents, or midnight mass, or the Queen speech. And the term for “White Christmas” well?   There is rarely any snow around the month of December.

I don’t want to give the impression that Christmas is not celebrated in India. There over 25 millions Christian who do celebrate Christmas traditionally, though in some states quite differently. In some states a banana tree or mango tree is decorated instead of a Christmas tree.

In Southern India Christians often put out small burning clay lamps on the flat roofs of their homes to show their neighbours that Jesus is the light of the world: a little bit like Hindus do when celebrating Diwali. Christians in Mumbai display a manger in front of a window to display the Nativity scene.

In North West India Christians of the Bhil folk go out at night to sing carols.

Santa Claus is known as “Christmas Baba” in Hindi and “Christmas Thaathaa” in Tamil.

When my parent married and came to live in this country in the sixties and seventies they began to adopt some of Britain’s customs slowly. They understood that Britain is mainly a Christian country and that it was good to integrate and adopt some of the traditions and culture. Right from the start my parents and their friends were very cosmopolitan. To this day we are still a very cosmopolitan family.

Along side Christmas we still celebrate our own Hindu festivals like Diwali. Diwali (meaning the Festival Light and celebrating rescuing of Sita from the demon Ravana by her husband Rama and coming back home to reclaim their kingdom and the start of a new golden age for the world) is like our Christmas and we also a celebrate the coming of a New Year and new beginning.

Christmas had a greater meaning when my brother and I were born. Since Christmas was celebrated at our schools we obviously wanted to celebrate Christmas at home. I still remember Santa Claus coming to my nursery and handing out Christmas presents or the carol singing we did at school. I remember receiving cards and presents from school friends and the Nativity plays that I took part in. I still feel Christmas is thoroughly enjoyed by kids. It was certainly the case for my brother and me. One of the earliest memories for me is when my mum bought a Christmas tree for the first time and we decorated it with tinsel and ornaments. Placed on top of that tree was a beautiful star angel. I still remember that amazing star angel. For years as a child I loved wrapping presents with my mum for my family members. But the best bit was seeing the joy on my brothers little face when he opened his presents. He used to be so excited

The other delightful memory was when one Christmas my mother was away in India – our first Christmas without her. My brother and I as usually hung out our Christmas stockings knowing that Mrs Santa (our mum in fact) would fill it with presents. We went to bed early and woke early next morning to find that nothing was in our stockings! I remember my brother shaking his Christmas stocking upside down but couldn’t find anything inside. Mr Santa (our dad in fact) had forgotten to fill them up with goodies! We have forgiven him and the burnt chicken he cooked that Christmas!

Christmas made my childhood memories very rich and exciting

We also had traditional Christmas dinners, though we had chicken instead of turkey. We pulled crackers and my brother and I laughed at the jokes inside while wearing our paper hats. Family did come round to visit and we would watch the Queens Speech and watch “The Snowman” every year.

When my late grandmother came from India to visit she was both charmed and surprised by how we had adopted Christmas.

There of course some subtle differences. For example we never went to midnight mass and we never sent Christmas cards to India- only to our relatives in America. After all my American cousins are very cosmopolitan and of course to this day they celebrate Thanksgiving and New Years day.

Now that my brother and I are adults Christmas for us is still important but it has now toned down a little. We still have our traditional Christmas dinner and wine, we still watch the Queen speech. Nowadays we send Christmas e-cards by e-mail to friends. We give each other presents. We mainly give each other money and clothes now! We don’t even have a Christmas tree now but may still put up some decorations. Friends and family still come round. Since I became vegetarian I am the only family member now to have “veggie Christmas”.

I really believe we will get more into Christmas when my parents become grandparents. It will be like reliving my childhood again but through my future children. Tradition will pass on. As I said children find Christmas the most exciting and I believe the next generation of my family more so then ever.

 I feel doubly blessed that we can celebrate Diwali and Christmas one after the other. Diwali is celebrated towards the end of October. Both celebrations means that family and friends come together and I like that. I love being surrounded by people I love and who love me. It is time for great warmth and joy which we lack in modern times.

I have notice the theme of light is found in Diwali and Christmas. At Diwali we light little oil lamps and at Christmas we also light candles. Light can heal. Light and love.

Prayers are important at Christmas as well as Diwali. I truly believe in the power of prayer.

I love Christmas because it celebrates the birth of Jesus. Many people forget that. Perhaps Christmas is too commercialised in the Western world. Jesus was born into this world to spread the good news. He was the saviour and light of this world. The message or good tidings he brought to us is just as relevant in his day and as well as ours. He spread the goods news of the Kingdom Of God to everyone in this world. It doesn’t matter what race, colour or creed you are.

Diwali holds a similar message. When Rama returned to his kingdom with his wife Sita it was start of a “golden age” on earth.

This Christmas I will remember the good things in my life and how I am blessed. I will pray for this world and wish peace and happiness on everyone.

And to little kids everywhere Santa Claus really does exist!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

SUBRATA SAHA.