For decades this Hindu temple has carried on the tradition of celebrating Christmas in traditional way and lighting candles and spreading the spirit of Universal religion spread by the founder mentor of the mission Ramakrishna Paramhansa.
On Sunday morning Christmas was celebrated by the monks of the Hindu temple by singing Christmas carols and offering Christmas delicacies to lord Jesus. A big cradle was made of Mother Mary and Jesus surrounded by Christmas trees and Chrysanthemum flowers and bedecked with decorative bells. later the 'Prashad' of cakes, patties and steaming hot coffee was shared with the devotees.
A day before, on Christmas eve, a gathering of people marked the celebrations. Children from the neighbouring colonies and Mission hospital staff members participated in carol singing led by the monks clad in saffron and white ‘chadars’ and ‘dhotis’. The ochre robed monks spoke of spreading peace and brotherhood and the importance of the Bada Din (Christmas) was shared by the head priest of the temple on the Christmas eve.
In the streets of Kankhal of the holy city, which are famous for taking out Shiva’s wedding processions amidst the sound of cymbals, jingle of Christmas bells resound in this Hindu temple. The altar of Jesus arranged in a corner of the meditation hall and illumined with a number of candles put in the form of a cross rendered a spiritual atmosphere.
Speaking to The Pioneer, the general secretary of Ram Krishna mission Swami Nityashuddhananda said, “We have a long tradition of celebrating Christmas in the temple. It all started with Swami Atulananda (monastic name of Cornelius, a western devotee from Holland) who stayed in the mission premises during his last days in 1965. He inspired the ashram inmates to the tradition of celebrating Christmas.”
Swami Vivekananda also had many western disciples and the tradition of celebrating festivals of all religions is long kept by the mission. “We at mission believe in the principle of harmony of religions. We have been celebrating major festivals of other religions too and Christmas holds a special significance to this place. The message of Jesus to ‘love thy neighbour as thyself’ needs to be reinstated in today’s era of religious conflicts,” said the seer.
Swami Chinmayanand, a retired monk of the mission, said that there are so many parallel teachings on the Bhagwadgita and the holy Bible. Krishna’s teachings to Arjuna and Sermon on mount by Jesus, the Christ have stark similarities. Speaking on the eternal message of the Bible, “Be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect”, the monk extolled everyone to strive to be a perfect being living the life of values.