The month of December used to be a period of carols and cribs in Kerala wayback in the 1960s, 70s and 80s but not anymore. Carol singers visiting the houses of all communities in the State have become a thing of the past. There are no more drum beats or saxophone music. The small churches across the village squares too have fallen silent though they spot Christmas stars, trees and of course the cribs.
“Nowadays we visit houses of community members only and the number of carol nights too have come down. Carol teams come alive only on 23rd and 24th December,” said K T Paily of Karipra, a former Indian Railway official.
This Christmas was marked by the demonstration staged by activists of Sangh Parivar in front of a Upper Primary School in Palakkad district questioning the propriety of holding a religious festival in a school with students dressed up as Santas. “Will they allow Janmashtami festival with students dressed up as Lord Krishnas?,” said R V Babu, leader, Hindu Aikyavedi.
Babu said there was no untoward incident of any kind during the demonstration. He blamed the Marxist-Mullah funded media for spreading fake narrative. Stanly Sebastian, a former professor who does not hesitate to speak his mind out was blunt in his reply to the news that carol team was attacked and cribs were vandalized. “Do you think the Sangh Parivar will resort to such acts when the party leaders are trying to strengthen the ties between the two communities in the State? The BJP has included many influential Christians in the party and talks are underway with the spiritual leaders of the church. Last day we saw Prime Minister Modi visiting a Church in the national capital and holding discussions with the cardinals,” said Prof Sebastian.
He blamed a section in the Kerala BJP and the Marxist-Mullah axis for the fake news. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday condemned the attack in harshest of words and have ordered a high-level probe into the incident. “The Sangh Parivar elements are out to destroy the communal harmony and peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the State,” said Vijayan while addressing a public meeting near the capital city.
Aisha Foucik Kadukkapilly, a young poet and budding lawyer at Kaladi said that there is a strange fall in the number of carol singers. But Stanly Sebastian attributed it to the decrease in Christian population over the last two decades as many families have migrated to Europe, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
An eerie of silence marks the Christmas festival in the State which once reverberated with the cacophony of shopping, partying and fun-making. Peaceful Christmas all over the World!
