N & I visited Russell Market today to get some flowers. Since Russell Market is located on the same block as St Mary’s Basilica (the oldest church and only Basilica in the state), we figured we could also check out the local last minute Christmas shopping scene. (There is also a Mosque and a Hindu Temple on the same block — great representation of religious tolerance!)
There were many booths in what normally is a lane of traffic, selling everything from foil-tinsel garlands, to fairy lights, to hand made nativity characters (none with Indian features).
Inside what’s normally a Market hallway, vendors were selling western style cakes (albeit sometimes with images of Bollywood heroes), fruit cakes and Christmas puddings
The Basilica was all decked out for Christmas mass, much like any Catholic church back home.
And the Christmas tree in the courtyard to the church, with it’s (creepy) life size Santa was a big draw for kids. (Like the nativity characters, this Santa was white as North Pole snow. I expected an Indian Santa for some reason… I mean, there are Indian Barbies, so why not?)
Dez in India 