Dear Editor,
I spent over a month on a travelogue and on an academic tour (studying ethnic conflict) in the Far East and Sri Lanka returning just in time to experience the holiday season in New York, Trinidad and Guyana. Although largely non-Christian countries, Christmas and the end-of-year holiday season in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka are as big as any celebration in the Christian world. People in these various countries with their varied cultures are in a festive mood just as we are in the West, and they patronize the malls just they do in New York or as Guyanese do at home. It was a terrific experience mingling with varied cultures although I had visited each of these countries (except Sri Lanka) several times before.
In these Asian countries, people of different ethnicities and cultures come together at work and on the parks, streets, and shopping centres as they do in the West. They simply enjoy the holiday spirit with shopping and the consumption of various treats selling in the streets or parlours. It is not a religious celebration for the Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Confucians in these Asian countries, but they adore the decorations that go with the season. Streets and shops are sparklingly lit up to attract visitors and shoppers. There are even Santas posing with children and sometimes adults for memorable photos.
What was surprising is how much Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia which is officially an Islamic state) has been dressed up with Christmas trees around the city. Flocks of Muslims (identified by hijabs and head scarfs), Hindus and Buddhists flock around Christmas trees to take photos. Colombo, Kandy, Galle and other small cities in Sri Lanka are also brilliantly lit up with gigantic Christmas trees attracting onlookers who pose for photos. The same was observed in Bali (a largely Hindu province) and Jakarta (a largely Islamic city with a sprinkling of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians).
Singapore was perhaps the most illuminated though the others seem to have more artificial Christmas trees. Christmas season in Singapore started on the weekend of November 13, perhaps the earliest of all the countries although days before that in Trinidad I saw decorations being put up around buildings and streets.
Displays of symbols of crescent moons, deyas, and Christmas trees were seen at banks and streets in Trinidad. In Singapore, the famous shopping belt on and around Orchard Road, Chinatown and Little India are spectacularly lit up. No shopping area in any part of the world is as dressed up and attractive as downtown Singapore. From my experience in recent travels, Singapore is more lit up than Rome, Rockefeller area in New York, and the Vatican, although Saigon, Ho Chi Minh, Phnom Penh, and Bangkok are not far behind. Kuala Lumpur seems to have the tallest Christmas tree competing with Rockefeller.
In every city in Asia, people are attracted to the malls and the food courts. The streets are teeming with people in every city, small or large, around this time of the year not dissimilar from Manhattan. The malls are beautifully decorated similar to Bloomingdales or Saks. Children are having a great time with their parents going shopping and enjoying the holiday treats. There is a festive spirit everywhere and parents acquire gifts for their children and others. People of varied religions are appreciating the significance of the holiday season, just as we do in Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
