Divvy Kant Upadhyay, Manipal

Udupi, Dec 10: Christmas is a fortnight away, but 'high-spirited' preparations for celebrations have already begun. The WelcomGroup School of Hotel Administration(WGSHA) at Manipal attached to the ITC Fortune INN Valley View Hotel and affiliated to Manipal University organized a formal function last weekend to mark the traditional fruit mixing ceremony for the Christmas Cake.

The staff were joined in by the guests at the Hotel such as Director of the Sports Authority of India, New Delhi, Rachna Govil and the college administration that included Principal Mrs. Parvadhavardhini Gopalakrishnan and Vice Principal Mr Kulmohan Singh.

At the event, as per tradition, dry fruits were soaked in Rum and Brandy for them to absorb the rich liquor flavor. Senior lecturer at the college, Shammy Shiri explains the myth –“What is remarkable about this ritual is that, although most people do not know the original meanings of these pagan superstitions, they still carry out the appropriate actions when cooking, serving and eating the dish today. The acts may have lost their specific messages, but by repeating them each year, the ritualistic nature of the Christmas festival is kept alive and, with it the feeling that the occasion is socially significant”

According to Shammy, the Christmas plum pudding will be prepared by the “Ministry Of Bakery” under the guidance of Chef Vasanthan at Manipal and sold to the students and  faculty of the college and the Hotel guests at cost price. The Plum Puddings will be made in limited quantities, so Shammy suggests interested people hurry up and taste the goodies or wait for another year.