Thiruvananthapuram, For the first time, the Christian community in Kerala on Sunday celebrated Easter in their homes due to the national lockdown imposed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Traditionally, the faithful throng churches early in the morning for the Easter Sunday mass. After the mass ends, priests hand out cake and at some places, even a spook of wine is served.
The cake and wine symbolizes that the six-week-long lent is over, when people turn vegetarian and avoid the consumption of alcohol.
But this Sunday due to the global health crisis, it was just the priest and four of his associates running through the rituals, with the doors of all churches closed to the general public.
But at homes in Kerala, it looked like any other normal Easter.
The day started with the Easter breakfast, which includes 'appam' (rice flour pancakes), chicken stew, beef roast, while at some places duck is the important non vegetarian dish, besides steamed bananas, egg roast and cake.
The Easter lunch also has a wide spread and of late, many prefer to have a steaming hot plate biryani or fried rice with a non vegetarian dish.
However the only thing missing from the dining table, this time, is fish after state government officials in the past one week seized over 50,000 kg of stale fish from across Kerala.
Another miss this time was the alcohol as all bars and retail vends were shut down due to the lockdown.
Christians account for 61.41 lakh people of the state's 33.4 million population.
April 12 (IANS)
