Human Liaison

Hi everyone! Its been long since I have posted a poem but I wish to share some funny and tickling Christmas related incidences before I resume to poetry.
               Being from a Parsi school (Fravashi Academy, Nashik) I have always been a part of all kinds of festive celebrations. Our school has always encouraged exchange of good will during festival seasons, be it pertaining to any religion. We have seen our teachers bring a Ganpati idol and install it in school accompanied by 'dhol' and shouting 'Ganpati Bappa Moraya' during Ganesh Utsav. We have also seen them decorate christmas trees, wrap gifts, dress up as Santa for the primary kids, distribute sweets and sing Christmas carols during Christmas. We have had holidays on Pateti as well as Eid and we have learnt the significance of  the phrase 'Vaheguruji da Khalsa te Vaheguruji di Fateh'. We have in short experienced secularism in our school. This is the reason why all religions are close to my heart.
                Recently, while working on the techfest problem statement I started humming the Christmas song;

                                                          'Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer 

                                                               had a very shiny NOSE. 

                                                              And if you ever saw him,

                                                              Nana   nana  na  na  na'

I was stressing on the NOSE! That again dates back to school days when we were made to stress on 'nose' so that we sing the correct note. Also, as is apparent, I could not remember the lyrics. That did not discourage me and I kept muttering the same three phrases, not realising how annoying it was to my team mates. Apoorva was almost about to stop me when NehaNaik smiled and said " I like the way you say NOSE. But what song is this? I have never heard of this.And tell me the lyrics." Clearly, she was enjoying the song and this was my triggering point! " How do you not know about rudolph? Its such a famous christmas song. We always sung it in school. But I cannot remember the lyrics." I said, making it sound very important. This was enough to get the song registered in Neha's mind. She started humming the tune. :-) [Human Tendencies!!!]
       After two days I met Neha with another friend of hers. Neha was still humming the song and her friend looked annoyed. When I asked her she said " Have you instigated this song in her? She has been singing it continuously for two days. She has gone to the extent of finding out the lyrics and watching the movie!" I was already laughing and Neha immediately showed me the pictures of 'cute' Rudolph on her phone. Instead of sympathyzing with her friend I joined in the singing. I was engulfed by the newly found lyrics. [For anyone equally interested: http://www.carols.org.uk/rudolf_the_red_nosed_reindeer.htm]
          
             This wonderful song brought back memories. Every person who heard the song would share with us their memory of Christmas celebration. Some of them would tie stockings on the door hoping Santa would leave gifts for them, not forgetting to inform their father what they wished Santa would give them. :-) The gift was then sure to come! Some friends from convent schools recalled how as kids they performed skits enacting 'Little Jesus' or 'Mother Mary' or other characters from the Christmas stories. I learnt about other Christmas Carols which I had never heard of. We discussed how Santa Claus has originated from the turkish saint "Saint Nicolas" who was very generous and performed a very good deed on the christmas eve. I told them how disappointed I had felt after I had read this particular fact about 'Saint Nicholas'. I had always thought 'Santa Claus' is a fantasy and I was happy with that. There is so much warmth in that character that you wish it remains a fantasy because the human touch just diminishes its aura.
              All in all  'Rudolph' brought back fond memories and a goodwill inevitably spread around among my friends. This is the beauty of festivals. It bonds us together...