By R Lester Makang
UKHRUL December 26: The largest number of people thronging the Ukhrul town in merry making celebration during Christmas was witnessed this year in recent history.
While various worship services at churches and outdoor festive merriment programs organized by different local churches such as Union Baptist Church, Viewland Baptist Church, Phungyo Baptist Church, Union Town Baptist Church, Bumrei Church etc. to celebrate the festival Thursday saw hundreds of enthusiastic believers flocking, hordes of other merry makers could also be seen thronging the town during daytime.
Moreover, most business establishments at Phungreitang, Viewland and Wino bazaar remained open and thronged with customers and the town`s taxi service did a brisk business.
Since the past many years Ukhrul town had always remained quiet and the main road wore deserted look during the season i.e., from 24 December till first week of January the following year as most people tended to head to their respective native villages to celebrate the festival.
Meanwhile, as the tempo of various festivities to celebrate the festival post December 24 midnight gathered momentum, Christmas is already in full swing in the town.
Carolers from various local churches go around door to door singing Christmas cheers as kaleidoscopic items of diplay such as colourful artificial stars, Xmas trees, twinkling lights, tinsels et al decorate Churches, houses and business places creating a perfect festive milieu.
What has also come as grease to the mill, apart from ringing out messages of love, peace and harmony this time has been the uplift of sporting spirits of the youth through two festive football tournaments organized independently by the Phungyo Baptist Church at Tangkhul Naga Long Ground, Wino bazar and the Thawaijao Hungpung Young Students Organization (THYSO) at Pakshi Gound, Dungrei.
One of the organizers at PBC said that they wish to divert young people`s attention from the evils of drugs through such programs, while a member of THYSO disclosed that the object of this tourney which was instituted by a pioneer Lt Somi of Hungpung village five decades back is to instill positive mind set for healthy competition amongst the younger generation.