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Kolkata celebrates Christmas with special prayers, food and fun

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Kolkata, Dec 25 (IANS) Soaking in the intoxicating aroma of freshly baked cakes and brewing wines, Kolkata on Monday revelled in the Yuletide spirit with people of all ages celebrating Christmas.

Special prayers, hymns and masses in churches drew the devout by the thousands, but for the eastern metropolis – the capital of British ruled India till 1911 – the day was much more than a religious occasion, rather a summation of faith, food and fun.

The reverberating sounds of the church bells toiling on Sunday midnight ushered in the festivities, as hundreds of devout Christians assembled at that hour for a mass in the age old St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Decked up in fairy lights, the fashionable Park Street looked bewitching, as a large number of people from the city and the outskirts gathered to have a good time.

Colourful snow streamers, sparkling battery-operated stars, snow bells, dancing Santas, musical Christmas trees, foldable trees, wreaths and foldable decorative items and baubles, decor shops have lined up a host of ornaments adding the extra glitz to the festivities.

There was also good attendance at Allen Park, where the ongoing Kolkata Christmas Festival held cultural soirees and a food fest attracting both the young and the old.

The city’s famous heritage address – Bow Barracks – inhabited by Christians and Anglo-Indians, bustled with songs and dances while the aroma of ginger wines and plum cakes added to the festive atmosphere.

Mother House – the global headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity (MoC) founded by St. Teresa – welcomed hundreds of visitors, who started pouring in since morning.

Groups of enthusiastic urban travellers headed to rural Bengal to enjoy the holiday relishing sumptuous feasts and spending quality time with their near and dear ones.

Tourist hot-spots like the Victoria Memorial, Indian Museum, Nicco Park and the Eco Park saw a heavy footfall.

Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, also ushered in Christmas at midnight with prayers and carols as devotees gathered around a Christmas tree.

–IANS
ssp/ksk/bg

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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.

The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.

Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.

Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.

For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.

During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.

Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.

Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .

Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.

In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.

In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.

He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.

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