Cities like Guwahati have decked up for Christmas mass this morning as they face lesser restrictions.
A surge in Coronavirus cases has heralded another pandemic-tinged Christmas in Mizoram, with Santa's arrival and longed-for community feast overshadowed by the prospect of yet more Covid restrictions. In the rest of the Northeast, cities like Guwahati and Shillong have decked up for Christmas as they face lesser restrictions.
In Mizoram's Aizawl, the community feast and carol, the integral part of Christmas in the state, will be missing as the authorities tighten restrictions on public movement in view of the high positivity rate in the state.
"Churches in Mizoram will not be celebrating Christmas like the pre-pandemic period. We have decided not to have carol singing fest this time," Samuel Lalfana, Church elder, Khatla Presbyterian Church, Aizawl, told NDTV.
At 8.2 per cent, the positivity rate - the number of positive cases identified per 100 - in Mizoram is one of the highest in the country.
But many have not let the pandemic dampen their plans for the festival.
"Christmas spirit is very much in Mizoram. Families are getting together to celebrate in their own traditional way. Christmas prayer will be there in the church but, in most of the urban areas, due to Covid pandemic, we are not having a traditional fest where the entire community comes to take part in it that will be private affairs. Christmas spirit is very much alive decoration is on people are looking forward to Christmas and New year Festival," Dr. Lalmalsawma, a resident of Aizawl, said.
In the rest of the Northeast, cities like Guwahati and Shillong have decked up for Christmas mass this morning as they face lesser restrictions.
"So many people will be coming for the main mass. We will take our own precautions. There will be protocol, there will be face mask of course," said Father Vincent, Parish priest of a church in Guwahati, said.
While Christmas celebrations were largely indoor last year, this year cities like Guwahati and Shillong have seen relaxations, allowing people to celebrate the festival in public.