TURA, Dec 26: Citizens across Garo Hills celebrated Christmas by attending church service and family get-togethers as COVID-19 restrictions barred the public from getting involved in large-scale gatherings such as midnight dances across different localities in the towns, including Tura.
Midnight church services were cancelled and devotees were allowed to attend holy mass during the evening hours on the night of 24 to usher in the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Priests, reverend and pastors addressed devotees during service highlighting the significance of Christmas for humanity.
As the clock struck midnight, Tura erupted in a dazzling display of fireworks that illuminated the skyline for close to an hour.
From multicolored fireworks to fire lanterns being released into the sky, for once Tura briefly returned to the wonder of Christmas celebrations from yesteryears.
For the first time, people organised small get-together parties in their homes to enjoy the celebrations.
The pandemic also brought out the best among young entrepreneurs of Tura.
Young girls and boys produced a masterchef cuisine that was clearly in high demand among customers.
From lamb rolls or kababs to biryanis, there was a huge demand among gourmet lovers of Tura as home deliveries were at their peak late into the night.
One of the standouts of the festivities was the talent among the young bakers who have clearly come of age.
From popsicles to cakesicles, fresh cream black forest, chocolate truffle cakes to butterscotch cakes, Tura was clearly a bakers’ delight.
What was once sourced from Guwahati and Shillong clearly had only a few takers as the demand was centered on the local bakers who produced a variety of cakes that left a lasting taste on the tongues of hundreds of consumers.