Special prayers for victims of terrorist attacks and low-key festivities marked a subdued Christmas across India in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks and the anti-Christian violence in eastern Orissa state, news reports said. In the financial hub of Mumbai, Christians observed the holiday in a sombre mood, praying for the victims of the November 26 attacks which left at least 170 dead.
Mumbai, like India, is pre-dominantly Hindu but usually witnesses Christmas celebrations on a substantial scale as Hindus as well as other communities join the festivities. But the recent terrorist attacks muted the celebrations.
The city's churches had asked people to tone down celebrations due to the outrage over the attacks, the NDTV network reported. "The city is still recovering as it has been a month since the outrageous attacks. The festivities in the city are thus low-profile," Mumbai resident Sandy D'Souza told news channels. The city's hotels also saw a dip in bookings and cancellations of Christmas parties.