CHRISTMAS TIME IN KOLAR GOLD FIELDS

 

CHRISTMAS TIME IN KOLAR GOLD FIELDS

An excerpt from my book Kolar Gold Fields Down Memory Lane

Christmas time was the most enjoyable time of the year in Kolar Gold Fields when we were growing up. The month of December was the most awaited month, as the whole of KGF would be humming with activity.  Each Mine would have their own Christmas Tree Function and Dance. The Nundydroog Mine Function (which was the Mine where we lived) was always held on the 2nd Saturday of December and we would all eagerly wait for this day. The sports events were conducted on the grounds in front of Mr. Price’s House as Mr. Price was in charge of conducting the sports. The tracks would be drawn with white lime powder and the sacks for the Sack Race would be procured and kept ready. We took part in many of these events such as the 100 metres flat race, the lime and spoon race, balancing the potato on our foreheads, skipping race, sack race etc. We invariably won prizes for the 100 Metres Flat Race, Skipping, etc. These prices were a princely amount of Rs 10.00 for the First Prize, Rs 5 for the Second prize and Rs 2.00 for the Third Prize. After the sports events, there was a small Prize Distribution Function. Mrs Price, would give away the prizes to the winners.

After the Sports we would have the Christmas Tea and a Cultural Programme at the Skating Rink. The highlight of the evening was Santa Claus arriving in a sleigh to distribute the gifts to the Children. We loved this part of the programme as we always got the toys or gifts that we wanted since my dad would put down our names for gifts for each of us.

A funfair or carnival was also held in the compound of the Skating Rink simultaneously, with lots of side shows such as The Lucky Arrow, Ringing the Bottle, Skittles, Ringing the Duck, Belling the Cat, Pinning the tail on the Donkey etc. Daddy would buy us tickets for the Side shows and we’d try our luck at all the stalls. We’d be besides ourselves with joy, if we won cakes of soap, bottles of jam and tomato sauce etc as prizes on the Lucky Arrow., and in the Lucky Dip. Sometimes we would land up with almost 20 bottles of jam or tomato ketchup that all of us won at the Lucky Arrow.

There were also a number of Food stalls selling mouthwatering delicacies such as cakes, Vegetable Sandwiches, Curry Puffs, Bondas, Vadas, Hot stuff, etc., besides lemonade, Ginger Beer, Soda, etc., from our very own Mining Soda Factory. There were also vendors selling cotton candy, ice candy, balloons, windmills etc. We would thoroughly enjoy ourselves with all the activities besides gorging on the wonderful snacks that we bought with our prize money. It was with regret that we went home at 7 30 Pm when the sideshows closed down and the workers had to get the Skating Rink ready for the Christmas Tree dance at 9 o’clock.

The Christmas Tree celebrations just like this were held in the other Mines also on different days. Daddy would take us for the sideshows and other entertainments at these different mines. Ofcourse we couldn’t take part in the sports events and receive a gift from Santa Claus as we didn’t belong to that particular mine.

The month of December also saw us getting ready for Christmas, shopping for dress materials and visiting Pansy Tailor to get our dresses tailored. We normally had 3 new dresses or outfits for the festive season. One dress for the Nandydroog Mine Christmas Tree Function, one for Christmas day and one for New Year Day.  Some times our parents made a trip to Bangalore to buy the material for our Christmas dresses from Fazals and Adam Sait Stores and our shoes from Reliance Shoe Shop all on Commercial Street. Our Christmas shoes would invariably be a white pair so as to match all our new frocks. In case they couldn’t fit in a trip to Bangalore, then we went shopping for dress material in our own market in Robertsonpet Town from  Mohanlal, Sohans, Bhora and some other shops which also had quite a good selection of dress materials to choose from.

 Pansy Tailor was the most sought-after Ladies Tailor and Dress Maker in KGF. He was always deluged with stitching orders for dresses this time of the year, by almost all the Anglo-Indians in KGF for the various dances and for the Christmas. He warned all his customers to bring him their Christmas tailoring orders before the middle of November so that he was able to plan his schedule. He was a fantastic dressmaker and never disappointed anyone, most often sitting late into the night with his assistant Gopal to help him so as to deliver the dresses to his customers on the dates he promised to give them. Pansy Tailor’s   actual name was Eshwar Rao, but since he spoke English with a funny accent, and walked like a lady, he was nicknamed ‘Pansy Tailor’ and the name just stuck. In fact we still refer to him as Pansy tailor even though he’s now no more. Besides Pansy Tailor, Sham Rao and his brothers were also good Ladies Tailors. Kanappa Tailor and Mohan Rao Tailors were the famous Gents Tailors in KGF.

My mum would start the preparation of the traditional sweets and treats that are a part and parcel of Christmas a fortnight before Christmas. Kalkals and Rose Cookies, Fruit Cakes, Coconut Sweets, the Christmas Pudding, Bole Cake, Dodol, Beveca, Marzipan Sweets, Peanut Fudge, Cashew nut Fudge, Murkus or Rice Crispies, Adarasams or Fried rice pancakes etc., were some of the goodies that were prepared in abundance by her. The house and neighbourhood would smell enticingly. One of my strongest childhood memories, is this enticing aroma of the preparation of these Christmas Goodies.

We children would wait for the Christmas holidays to begin so that we could all help our mum in the preparation of the Kulkuls, Rose Cookies, etc, We’d all sit around the dining table and each of us would take a lump of dough and spread it on a fork to make as many kulkuls as possible with it. These kulkuls were like small shells. To make other shapes, we would also roll out the dough and cut out various shapes like hearts, clubs, diamonds, etc with the cutters. It was fun competing with each other to see who made the most. Mummy would fry the kulkuls as soon as we completed a good number, till all the kulkuls were fried and a huge heap was kept on the table to cool. She’d then frost them when they were cold, by pouring hot sugar syrup on the kulkuls. We had a lot of fun helping to make the kulkuls, and sometimes even our non-Christian friends would join us and help us  in this happy task. Of course, a good portion of the fried kulkuls would go into our mouths while helping to make them.

Making the Doldol (a black rice halwa) at Christmas time was especially exciting for all of us as this particular sweet dish needed more than 3 hours to prepare and had to be stirred constantly. We would all take turns to stir the gooey mixture till it reached the right consistency. Making coconut sweets was another treat. All of us would fight to scrape the residue left over in the pan.

We also helped to churn the butter and sugar for the Christmas Pudding and the Fruit cakes. In those days there were no blenders or beaters and we churned the cake dough with the ‘Dhal Churner Stick’ or the ‘Mathu’ as it was called. We had to wait for our turn as each one wanted to put their fingers in the bowl while churning and lick the cake dough as it was getting smooth. 

I mustn’t forget to mention the Grape Wine and Ginger Wine that my mum made specially for Christmas. She would soak the Grapes and sugar in the month of October so that it was ready for Christmas. The wine would be strong and sweet and a dash of rum was added to it to give it a bit of punch. She also made Ginger Wine at Christmas time. This Ginger Wine wasn’t exactly a wine but more like a thick concoction that acted as an aid in digestion for all the rich food at Christmas.

 

The week preceding Christmas, the whole house would be in a festive mood, with the anticipation of Christmas. While mummy was busy preparing the Christmas Sweets and goodies, my dad would begin to decorate the house with coloured paper streamers, Chinese Lanterns, Balloons, etc, assisted by Viswa, Murthy, and some of his other workers. They would help Dad to hang the paper streamers, put up the star and arrange all the coloured lights.

We didn’t have artificial Christmas Trees in those days, so my Dad would arrange for a Casuarina Pine Tree, and we would decorate it with tinsel, coloured fairy lights, and silver and gold paper lanterns, baubles and China ornaments. The Christmas tree ornaments were carefully stored away each year after Christmas, and were taken out and lovingly hung on the Christmas tree each Christmas. We had a beautiful China Angel that was always placed right at the top with a beautiful silver star next to it. We’d then arrange wads of Cotton wool liberally, on the branches to look like snow, and string fairy lights all over the tree. Then all the Christmas gifts were placed under the tree to be opened only on Christmas morning

However, the most cherished part of our Christmas arrangements, was doing up the Crib and placing it on the table just under the altar of the Sacred Heart. My dad was very good at carpentry and he made a lovely wooden permanent crib, which was fashioned like a small house with a sloping roof. Every year we’d further decorate this crib, by placing straw on the sloping roof to resemble a thatched roof. We’d paint dark brown slashes on Brown paper and line the inside of the crib with this to resemble mud walls, and strew straw and grass on the floor to resemble the shed where the Child Jesus was born in.

We’d then fix a beautiful silver star on the roof of the Crib and dad would fix a small light inside the crib which was on the whole time. The Statues of St Joseph and Mother Mary would then lovingly be removed from their protective coverings and placed in the Crib. The sheep and other animals were placed at different locations in the crib and the shepherds were placed a little way off. The statue of Baby Jesus was placed in the Crib only after we returned from Midnight Mass, when we would all say a prayer and sing a Christmas carol. The statues of the 3 wise men and their camel were added to the Crib only on the 4^th of January, the Feast of the Magi.

Every year my dad would hang a huge star in front of our house. The frame for this star was made out of metal wires and welded together to form a star. This frame was covered with coloured kite paper or cellophane paper. A light bulb was fixed inside and when it was switched on the star shone bright and beautiful in front of our house welcoming one and all with its light. The Star, Christmas Tree, and the Crib that were put up before Christmas would remain well past the New Year and were dismantled and taken down only after the 10^th January.

Just before Christmas, my daddy accompanied by Issac our house boy, would travel to Bangalore to buy the Christmas cakes from ‘SWAMYS BAKERY’, a well known Bakery and Confectionery Store in Bangalore. This shop was on Broadway Road near the Russel Market in Bangalore and was popular with all the Anglo-Indians. All the Anglo-Indians would buy their Christmas Cakes from here if they didn’t bake their own at home. Daddy would buy quite a number of cakes and pastries, for us as well as to distribute to the neighbours, servants, friends, etc. He’d buy Ribbon cakes with pink icing, chocolate cakes with icing, Rich Plum cakes with almond icing, small assorted cakes, cupcakes, cream rolls, doughnuts, short bread, muffins, etc. All these cakes would be arranged in their boxes in a big black trunk so as not to crush them. Dad and Isaac would then travel back to KGF by train and Isaac had to carry the trunk on his head while bringing it back from the station. I loved the Soft Sponge Cakes and the Ribbon Cakes with pink cream Icing that just melted in my mouth. (Since there were no refrigerators in those days, we had to finish all these delicious pastries in one week).

 During the week preceding Christmas, groups of Carol Singers of both the Tamil and English Groups would come around to all the houses singing carols. The money they collected was used by the Parish Church to provide new clothes and food for the poor in the parish.When the carol singers came to our house, we’d join them in singing all the beautiful Carols. It was such a lovely Christmassy feeling and made us all the more impatient for Christmas day.

On Christmas Eve, we invariably attended Midnight Mass. We would dress up in our new Christmas Frocks, mostly lace dresses, specially tailored for the great day by Pansy Tailor and my dad and brother would wear their formal suits.  We would leave home at around 10.15 and walk for Midnight Mass. It used to be very cold in KGF at this time of the year so all of us would be warmly bundled up in our jackets and coats. The Service usually began with a Carol Singing Service at around 11 PM followed by the Christmas Mass.  By the time the Service ended it would be almost 1.30 in the morning. After mass, it was time to meet and greet the priests and all our friends. After midnight mass, we would go home and have a small sing song session, and partake of some delicious early Plum Cake and wine. By the time we finally went to bed it would be around 2.30 in the morning. However, we’d be up early on Christmas Morning to enjoy the day to its fullest.

On Christmas day mummy would send out Trays of goodies to neighbours and friends. All the men who worked with my dad would be given a Bakshis or money gift, a set of clothes, Christmas sweets and treats, and also a quarter bottle of Rum or Brandy.  Our domestic helpers also got new clothes and a money gift, besides a big bag of all the Christmas sweets and cakes.

Breakfast on Christmas morning was always Sausages, Bacon, Eggs, Pancakes, Bread and butter etc. The Sausages were specially bought for our Christmas Breakfast from the Bangalore Ham Shop on Mahatma Gandhi Road, in Bangalore, when my Dad went to buy the Christmas Cakes. After breakfast, we would then eagerly open our Christmas presents that were placed under the tree. As kids our Christmas presents were mostly kitchen sets, tea sets, Building blocks, Dolls, Coloured Balls, Nurse and doctor sets, crayons, painting books, needle work sets, etc. My brother John got Mechano sets, Foot Balls, Cricket sets, hockey sticks, Tennis sets, etc, and when he was a little older he got a bicycle.

We usually had Christmas lunch at home as the Christmas Dinner was always at “White Haven”, our Grand Parents house. My mum would prepare a delicious lunch of some coloured special rice such as Coconut rice or Mutton Pilaf or Chicken Pilaf, Chicken or Duck Vindaloo, ox tail vindaloo, salad, and a Roast which was either Beef Roast, Ox Tongue Roast or Pork Roast. These Roasts were usually left to cook the whole night on low heat or Dum on a charcoal oven and would be browned on Christmas Morning. (The leftovers from our Christmas lunch was always carried over to Boxing day lunch the next day and invariably made into a DEVIL FRY OR CURRY.

Christmas Dinner was always at ‘White Haven’, our grandparent’s home in Robertsonpet. The whole family would gather there for Christmas Dinner. We’d all assemble at ‘White Haven’ early in the evening. My dad would arrange for either Parker’s car to take us there or we’d go in Sabu’s jatka. All of us cousins would have a lot of fun singing, playing, exchanging greetings and gifts, eating cakes, sweets, kulkuls, Rose Cookies and generally having a whale of a time while the men sat around with their Whiskeys and Wine catching up with all the news. Nana and all the aunts would be quite busy getting the Turkey ready, basting it, preparing the stuffing with carrots, peas, bread etc., chopping onions and tomatoes, preparing the salads, etc. They also had a chance to share family gossip and news.

Then all of us would gather around Nana’s Dining Table and tuck in to the delicious food. Christmas Dinner was always Turkey Roast with Stuffing and Gravy in the good old days accompanied by Pork vindaloo, Duck Vindaloo, steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes, bread, dinner rolls, Christmas pudding, Cakes, Sweets, etc There was always fun and banter and small competitions as to who would get the ‘lucky bones’, the gizzards, ‘the pope’s nose’, the neck etc. (However, later on, when Turkey was in short supply and became more expensive, the Turkey Roast was replaced by Duck Roast or Chicken Roast for Christmas Dinner).

Nana served the Christmas Pudding at the end of the Christmas Dinner. Just before serving it, a glass of brandy or Rum would be poured over it by papa and then it was lit with a match stick. The lovely blue flame for those few minutes, would encompass the pudding and the heat would help the rum or brandy to soak in. For those who didn’t care for a piece of the pudding there was always Christmas sweets, fruit etc. We would then return home at around 11 o’clock with our stomachs full, tired out after a long exciting day. That night, after a very happy and tiring Christmas Day , a sense of sadness would set in that the day which we waited for and anticipated was over so quickly and we would then have to wait for another year for Christmas again!!!