People throng to churches, Park St, Bow Barracks on Christmas

Christmas was observed across enthusiasm with enthusiasm, both on Wednesday and Thursday.

Like every year thousands of people visited Victoria Memorial Hall, bank of river Hooghly, Botanical gardens and spent the day.

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Nearly one lakh people visited the Eco Park, the biggest urban park in the country and enjoyed various rides including the toy train. People gathered around the miniatures of the seven wonders of the world and took photographs. The selfie zone was crowded with people taking snaps to keep memory of the day. People also visited Nicco Park to make the most of the day.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited St. Paul’s Cathedral church and took part in the Christmas Eve mass along with the Police Commissioner Manoj Verma. All the churches, in the city and districts, have been illuminated with decorated lights being put up at Bow Barracks.

Park Street is also decorated with colourful lights and movements of vehicles have been restricted along the thoroughfare. The road turned into a sea of people as evening descended.

Park Street has been the epicentre of Christmas in Kolkata for the past 100 years. Rich people across the country used to visit the restaurants and hotels on Park Street and Esplanade from the British period. From the British period the road has been brightly illuminated.

Christmas Eve was observed in the centres of Ramakrishna Mission across the globe. Jesuit Fathers are invited in different RKM centres to talk on the life of Jesus Christ.

On 24 December, 1886, Swami Vivekananda along with his brother monks took the vows of sanyas at Antpur in Hooghly which is now a centre of RKM. The day is observed every year at the centre.

Thousands of policemen were deployed to maintain peace in the city. Traffic sergeants were posted at important road intersections to maintain traffic and arrest drunken bike riders. Vigilance in and around Ma flyover, second Hooghly bridge and Nivedita setu have been intensified to stop two-wheeler riders from racing on them.