Mumbai: The coronavirus-induced state- wide night curfew hasn’t dampened the Christmas cheer for many in Maharashtra who say it is only wise to celebrate the festival with caution.
According to the guidelines issued by Maharashtra government, prayer meetings in churches should be organized with attendance of maximum of 50 persons on the day of Christmas and the choir should have a maximum of 10 members.
High Court lawyer Peter Ghadge, former President of Catholic Association of Nagpur, a lay organization, welcomed the decision of the state government.
“At a personal level, of course you’d feel bad with all the restrictions but one must understand why the guidelines have come in place – for our safety. What the government is doing is for the welfare of people,” he said.
“One has to control the situation right now and the curfew is only a step in that direction,” Ghadge, 55, told PTI.
A night curfew, from 11 pm to 6 am, has been imposed in municipal corporation areas of Maharashtra from December 22 to January 5 as a precautionary measure amid growing concerns over the new coronavirus variant spreading in Britain.
Achamma Joseph, high school teacher at Mount Carmel Girls’ High School, Nagpur, said the move would mean less interaction with parish members and guests, but something which is entirely understandable.
“It was a tradition for all of us to meet our friends after the midnight church service. We would exchange wishes and hugs. It won”t be the same now, but then these are a few things that we can survive without this Christmas,” Joseph said.
The number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra has crossed 1.9 million.
K V George, scientist and head Air Pollution Control Division, CSIR- NEERI (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -National Environmental Engineering Research Institute), says the restriction on number of people attending church does not matter “as the prayer and respect to the almighty is always everywhere.”
“The arrival of Christ is celebrated with all, irrespective of people going and attending the church. Who will mute the celebration if it is within me? Celebration does not require permission of others and therefore restriction does not matter,” George said.
Source: outlookindia.com