Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 25: The September deluge forced low-key Christmas celebrations in the Kashmir valley today.
As the recent floods have caused massive damage to properties, the Christians here celebrated Christmas in a subdued manner.
Even the Holy Family Catholic Church on the Maulana Azad Road, where the main Christmas prayers are traditionally held, had been badly damaged by the floods.
Father Mathew Thomas, who led the prayers at a hall in the premises of the Holy Family Catholic Church, said Christmas celebrations remained low-key mainly due to the floods.
He said members of the Christian community had suffered heavy losses during the floods and the Holy Family Catholic Church too had not been restored fully and that is why prayers were held at a hall. He said they had only held ‘simple prayers’.
Meanwhile, a few members of the Muslim community too were seen at the church premises to extend Christmas greetings to Christians. A person dressed as Santa Claus was seen distributing sweets to children at the church premises.
As the weather conditions have remained dry so far with Srinagar city yet to receive the winter season’s first snowfall, a few devotees said they missed celebrating a white Christmas this year.
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