Christmas, the biggest religious festival of the Christian Community, is going to be celebrated in Chuadanga on December 25 for the pledge of rebirth, new beginning, forgiveness, peace, renewing relationship with God and human being. The Christian have been passing with festive mood at the areas with free and frank.
The programs have included like singing carols–hymns-songs, prayers, exchanging greetings, decorating churches-homes-streets, setting up lightings, making cakes-pithas, installing makeshift Christmas trees and other.
Decoration of Christmas trees with colorful lights, special prayers, and distribution of gifts among children and exchange of pleasantries are the main features of the day’s festivities. Christmas carols and hymns will be sung before and after the prayer sessions at the churches.
Christmas, the holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, are celebrating by the Christians on the day in the Gregorian calendar. People greet each other with Shubho Boro Din (Greetings of the Great Day) in the areas. About 8 Churches are in Chuadanga district. Of them 2 are at Karpashdanga Christian Polli, 2 at Baghadanga in Damurhuda Upazila, 1 at Khejura and 1 at Dingadah in Sadar Upazila. The Christian villages have been decorated using lights, banners, festoons, installing banana trees and fencing using leaves of banana trees.
Two groups like catholic and patestine are in the district. The members of the groups have installed makeshift Christmas trees decorated with lightings at homes.
Kiron Gomej of village Baghadanga in Damurhuda upazila of Chuadanga district said, she, along with her family and relatives, will go to the Church and join the mass. Besides she will make different type of cakes and pithas for them.
Lasar Mondal of village Karpashdanga Christian Polli in Damurhuda upazila of the district said, he will go to Church to join the feast, which is an important part of social gathering and marry making for him. The Christmas cake will be complemented with various desi pitha, which, undoubtedly, a fusion of Bengali culture.
The Christian Polli’s devotees specially youths will visit one another house singing songs and praising their Lord. Kirtan is quite and extraordinary way to strengthen religious and cultural bonds for them, Christmas at villages is more colorful and enthusiastic, says Mr. Lasar Mondol.
Lablu Sarker, father of Karpashdanga Catholic Church said, members of about 500 families will take part in prayer and other religious activities on the day.
Reva Uzzol Biswas, Revere of another Church of village Karpashdanga said, Christian of the areas will participate all type of prayers at the church on the day.
Ferdous Wahed, Officer in Charge (OC) of Damurhuda Police Station said, members of police and ansar will be deployed at the churches for maintain law and order to mark the day freely by the Christian.