Aizawl/Shillong/Kohima, (Asian independent) Christmas is a season of joy and festivities for most of the northeastern states, but in Nagaland the celebrations were subdued this year due to the killing of 14 civilians by the armed forces personnel on December 4 and 5.
Villagers of Oting in Mon district of Nagaland organised a special midnight prayer — with wreaths and flowers laid and verses read from the Bible — on Friday night at the mass grave, where their loved ones had been buried.
“Christmas has always been special for us for the past many decades. We enjoy the festivity with all. But this year we are saddened and Christmas turned to grief, as we lost our sons and family members,” Chemwang Konyak, a resident of Oting village, said.
The villagers on Saturday carried placards seeking justice for those killed and demanded repeal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
Christmas celebrations in other parts of Nagaland were also very low-key due to the Mon district killings.
The Planning and Coordination Department of Nagaland government requested the people to celebrate a sustainable and environment-friendly Christmas.
An official of the department said that the key objective of this campaign is to align the Christmas festival celebrations to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals dissemination and spark action among the residents of Nagaland for making this Christmas and beyond, sustainable.
However, the Christmas celebrations in other parts of northeast region, especially in Meghalaya and Mizoram, were very colourful and spirited.
The houses and churches were lit up with colourful lights, flowers and Christians motifs.
Churches across the eight northeastern states, including Meghalaya and Mizoram, which have a major percentage of Christian population, were full of festive joy and fervour.
Church leaders said that special prayers and Christmas carols are being conducted since Friday night.
Local cable television channels and various social media platforms have been telecasting the prayers and celebrations at the churches.
Mizoram, Meghalaya and other northeastern states looked beautiful as Christmas masses were conducted and the streets were lit up beautifully since Friday midnight.
In Mizoram, the community feast and Christmas carols were held with strict Covid restrictions as the authorities imposed certain restrictions on public gathering, due to high Covid-19 positivity rate.
This year, Mizoram is witnessing the 150th year of Christmas celebrations after it was first celebrated by the colonial British troops back in 1871.
The Assam Rifles troopers erected a 47-foot Christmas tree — the largest in the northeastern region — ahead of Christmas, at Lunglei in Mizoram.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and his Mizoram counterpart Zoramthanga wished people on social media on the occasion of Christmas.
Many of the state governments in the northeastern region have announced holidays for several days so that people can take part in Christmas festivities in limited circles.
Christmas in Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh was also celebrated maintaining Covid-19 protocols and health restrictions.
Over six million Christians live in Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya while there are a significant number of Christians in the other northeastern states of Manipur, Tripura, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
Churches in Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya play a very significant role in the life and culture of the people in these states.
