EASTER IN KOLKATA, INDIA

Easter is always celebrated in a special way in our house. We stay in a locality in south of Kolkata city and we are a very tiny community of Bengali Christians living here.  However, the locality is known as
“Christian Para” – the Christian Dwelling. There is a small church, accommodating about 40 heads. It was mud walled church with tiled roof for many years, perhaps for 100 years !  Since last ten years or  so it has doubled storied building. While the ground floor has the church, there is a community hall on the upstairs. It is located attached our house, so there is no excuse for our family to miss a Church Service !

On early morning, before the sunrise we get up for singing the easter songs, mostly folk songs. Earlier there were good numbers, but now there were not much takers for this early hour event. This year my wife woke me up to join, and, there were only we two ! Nevertheless, we went on singing till there was sun rise, and lo behold ..... it is the Easter Day !

By 7.30 in the morning our children and grand children were all set to go for the church service. Most of them had new shining dresses for the day. The church every year is decorated with a lot of flowers. However, this year there was a new idea, of decorating the church with colourful large paper flowers.

The church service was over after an hour. We were to proceed to our mother church located a bit far. Our grandson got Confirmation as full member, and, it is customary to receive the first Holy Communion for a new member at our mother church. We (my wife, myself, grandson and his father) took out our van and along with the Padre proceeded to the mother church. There was a good crowd at the mother church. The six new member of the church were with white dress and they greeted all the congregation. Around 11 in the morning the Easter Service at the mother church was over and the congregation had a get-to-gather with cake and tea.  

When we reached home, our grand children already started their easter-fun.... breaking of Easter Egg. My son, his wife and their little daughter  just returned the previous week from their trip to Rome and they brought two large Italian Easter Eggs. My sister’s  grand-daughter also joined us and she too brought a big easter  egg. They really had a good fun !

Around one in the afternoon we had the Easter Meal. It was a home- made fare, a typical Bengali festive  meal.  Rice,  Pea-Dhal, Fish Fry, Chicken Curry, Mango Chutney (Thin Jelly), Cucumber salad and Ice Cream.  It was a long enjoyable time spent together.

It was indeed a good memorable day.... Happy Easter !