Like Diwali, it’s chakli, chivda, sev, halwa on Christmas too

Nagpur: These are busy days for Harivansh Tiwari, a Brahmin cook who prepares snack items and meals on order. After a hectic Diwali season, he is busy visiting Christian homes preparing items like chivda, chakli, and gajar halwa. “I don’t feel any difference between a Hindu home or that of a Christian. Just as I tell the Hindus that I would not make any egg or non-veg preparation, I tell them too,” he says exploding the myth that Christmas is a time for eating, drinking and making merry.“Christians have a midnight mass after which almost all families invite large number of people for lunch. I prepare that too. The menu is mostly dahi wada, mixed vegetable and puran ki roti.”
The festival may be of any religion, it is food which creates that confluence of culture, at least in India. “Christmas is the time for sharing and giving. So we have to prepare snacks which are economical, can be prepared in bulk and have a shelf life of at least a fortnight,” says Niraj Singh, who works for YMCA. In his house too, a Bramhin cook prepares the food items two days before Christmas. “Rose cookies, doughnuts and cake is prepared by us as it contains egg and requires baking. But rest of the items like sev, chivda, muruku and karanji, which is a Christmas pakwan is made by an achari,” he said.
“Diwali is continuing for us,” says Motilal Diwedi, who is preparing snacks in at least 10 Christian homes this season. “I have never felt any unease. There is no question of our refusing to make any item as they leave it on us and provide the material for whatever we suggest,” says Diwedi and adds that laddoos, balushai, gulab jamun and gajar halwa are also popular. “I don’t know what the tradition is, but here in the city Christian homes have almost the same menu as Hindus have on Diwali.”
Whatever religion one may be practicing, the food always remains local, says beautician Charu Landge. “Though people do expect cakes and cookies on Christmas, but our lunch is a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian dishes,” she says and adds that living in Maharashtra, her family’s food habits are also local.”
Ironically, it is some non-Christian homes who celebrate Christmas with all its anglicized trappings. “The kids in the house are very intrigued with Santa Clause so we make it a point to keep some gifts for them,” says Anjali Modak, who runs a store. “Having a Christmas tree in the house brings in a lot of cheer,” feels bank employee Antara Shrivastav. “I make it a point to have some symbolic celebration of every festival. It sensitizes the kids and broadens their outlook. So we have seviyan on Eid and a cake on Christmas prepared at home,” she adds.