KARACHI: There were hundreds of male and female Santas of all ages and sizes spreading holiday cheer in their red suits during the ‘Christmas Interfaith Peace Rally’ organised by all churches of the city here on Sunday, and they didn’t all necessarily belong to the Christian faith.

The rally itself started from outside the Christian Cemetery on Korangi Road at around 5.30pm but even before that there was a lot happening as the people started gathering there at around 3pm. Initially, they were met by the camels munching away on heaps of green grass placed before them. Later, they were to pull the carts on which women and children were to ride.

Then arrived big trucks and pickups playing Christmas carols, amplified from the huge speakers loaded on them. They included the vehicles brought in by Jamaat-i-Islami’s Al-Khidmat and JDC. They were also there to spray disinfectants. Most people had arrived dressed in Santa Claus suits but there was also room for some last-minute shopping thanks to the two friends, Shahzad, a Christian, and Dilawaiz, a Muslim, who had set up their second-hand red Santa caps stall against the cemetery’s outside wall.

There was also a group of physically-challenged persons who had come to be part of the rally. Some of them had come all the way from Lyari in their hand-operated tricycles. They said they did not think that they would have any trouble keeping pace in the rally. “I think we can easily overtake the camel carts, at least” laughed one of them.

Some women were seen wearing bright red cowboy hats too. When asked if they realised that their hats were different, one of them laughed and said that times had changed. “Besides, I am allowed to come dressed as I jolly well please because I am Santa’s maasi [maternal aunt],” she informed. When a newspaper reporter turned to another woman standing next to her to ask if that were true, she also nodded quickly. “Yes, she is his maternal aunt and I happen to be his paternal aunt, his phuppo!

Up ahead there were the priests and pastors of various parishes and representatives of other religions and sects along with NGO workers including Allama Mohammad Ahsan Siddiqui, ambassador at large for Global Peace & Human Rights, who also represents Interfaith Commission for Peace and Harmony, and Pastor Suleman Manzoor of the Rapha Mission International, singing the national anthem followed by loud slogans of “Pakistan Zindabad!”

As it started getting dark, the rally assembled itself and began to move. It was jingle all the way, from Korangi Road to Sharea Faisal enroute to the Karachi Press Club. Volunteers also distributed bags of sweets to all whom they encountered on the way as everyone happily waved to them.

It was celebrating Christmas before Christmas, and why not? The world has been through a lot during this year and there is a lot to be prayerful and grateful for, especially during these pandemic times. Merry Christmas everyone! Ho ... ho ... ho!

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2020