GUWAHATI, Dec 24 - With Christmas carols in the air and midnight mass in the churches marking the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas Eve is being celebrated tonight in the State along with the rest of the world.
Churches have chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the occasion right from staging of nativity to holding special prayers to celebrate the occasion.
Of great significance among the believers of Christianity, the Eve holds greater cultural and ritualistic importance as it brings the news of joy to the world. Devout Christians attend the midnight masses, a prelude to the grand Christmas celebrations. Resplendent with colourful lighting and decorations, the churches of Guwahati city looked their glorious best today with a number of activities lined up from this evening to Xmas Day tomorrow.
St Joseph�s Cathedral, Panbazar, like every year, is a centre of attraction in Guwahati city with glittering lights and nativity decorations. Moreover, Christ Church, Panbazar and Guwahati Baptist Church also witness sizeable numbers of devotees and visitors every year on the occasion. Not restricting the joy of Christmas to the occasion itself, a number of social activities also have been planned by the churches. These include visits to old-age homes, Christmas celebration with underprivileged children, patients etc.
Morning mass and Holy Communion in the churches would mark the beginning of Christmas celebrations tomorrow.
Other than the rituals, Guwahati plans a fair share of festivities every year on the occasion of Christmas and Eve.
Meanwhile, while the markets were crowded with people doing their last-minute shopping, the entire city donned a festive look for the festival as well as to welcome the New Year. Confectionery shops were also teeming with people, with rich, flavoured plum cakes being the hot favourite of the season.
Asom Gana Parishad president Atul Bora, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Anjan Dutta and former chief minister Prafulla Mahanta have also extended Christmas greetings to the people.
