Festivities of Christmas bring along feasting, treats, get togethers and dinners combined with prayers, visits to the church and giving and receiving gifts. This is very well expected of the Christian families but there is a segment of the society that despite not being Christian contribute towards the festivities.

Celebrations feels great!

 Partying and holidaying feels awesome!

What is being celebrated? The birth of Jesus? Was HE born on 25th December?

The date of the birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical sources and the evidence is too incomplete to allow for consistent dating. However, most biblical scholars and ancient historians believe that his birth date is around 6 to 4 BC. (source : Wikipedia )

“The real reason for the selection of Dec. 25 seems to have been that it is exactly nine months after March 25, the traditional date of Jesus’ crucifixion. … As Christians developed the theological idea that Jesus was conceived and crucified on the same date, they set the date of his birth nine months later.” (source : https://www.wate.com/news/why-is-christmas-celebrated-on-december-25/#:~)

Not debating here : back to continue on the topic of the other segment of society there are many out there who  help Christians celebrate their most important festival of the year each year by giving gifts to the marginal members of society.

Then there are those that do not wait for Christmas but continue with their spirit of living with giving whenever and wherever they feel the need to give to uplift the downtrodden and poor. They in my opinion, are the true Santa Clauses of our society and here in Kenya we witness endless such givers from among the Sanatan Dharam followers. They might not be followers of the original Santa : St. Nicholas yet they are Saints in their own way helping lift the load of life of the burdened.

The poem below is inspired by a few such examples from the Asian Society in Kenya and is published in the Kenyan weekly paperzine “The Asian Weekly” catering to the Asian Society known as the 44th Tribe of Kenya. Your comments would be highly appreciated.

Sikiladi

Santa’s of the society

By Sikiladi

Christmas comes with joyous welcomes

Time to meet all your old and new chums

Bonding time with Family get-togethers

Reuniting like birds of same feathers

And then comes the wait for the old man

With bags of goodies in charity vans

The Tribe 44 living their Sanatan Dharma

Turn into Santa’s performing their Karma

This Santa Claus travels not on the sleds

Neither his reindeers with noses reds

In fact he marks Christmas all year round

With his generous heart he helps around

Living the ingrained personality as a Giver

Manu Bhai the Society’s “Social Worker”

Through his ‘Golden Peace’ inclination

Chandaria Foundation focuses on children

 ‘Crowning his success with the act of giving’

Rasik Bhai assists many for their daily living

Forgetting not his humble trade beginning

He provides employment and loves educating

‘Charity & Business go together’ for him

Seeing the society happy, brings him a grin

Be it Lion’s, M.P.Shah or Jalaram facility

He aids medical needs of the large society

Mukesh Desai the humble simpleton in town

Acts as Santa without the typical red gown

Providing Uji to schools and satiating little tummies

Catering to sanitary needs of below par young ladies

Bed linens & stationery packs to students many

Gifting computers to institutions that lack the penny

Working around Kenyan borders this Mashuja trails

Discouraging drug abuse to prevent personality fails

The One man army that formed a giant team

Pankaj Meghji Shah emerged Santa like a dream

Pained by the cruel Covid effects on the society

Dispensing fresh meals he stood a savior in all sobriety

With a heart of Gold that vowed to take care manifold

Steadfast mission withstanding weathers hot or cold

He turned the pandemic as a time to be of serving

Following his Dharma towards society deserving

A retired medical practitioner par excellence

The society’s woes and worries form his surveillance

Chandu Sheth through his philanthropic inclination

Serves many a deprived across the Nation

With health and education as his primary goals

Uplifting the several ailing & indigent souls

With no Santa Hat he moves around the town

Yet deserves an exemplary meritorious crown