The national capital recently participated in the annual Scandinavian celebration of Saint Lucia, which included a candle-lit procession and a spread of sumptuous food, organised by the Embassy of Sweden.
Lucia is believed to come up with light and joy during the long, dark Swedish winters to cheer up the Swedes. Traditionally, the Swedes celebrate the event from December 1 till every Sunday before the Christmas.
Most Swedes have taken part in the candle-lit procession at least once in their lives – either as a part of the choir or as kids in kindergarten. The procession is usually led by Lucia with her light, followed by handmaidens in white gowns carrying candles and star boys carrying stars on their sticks. Lucia, which can be safely assumed as a prelude to the Christmas for the Swedes, have songs with their own traditions.
The event in New Delhi was a part of the Sweden-India Nobel Memorial 2018, which honours the contribution of both Swedish and Indian Nobel laureates.
Klas Molin, the Swedish Ambassador to India said, “Lucia, the annual candle-lit procession, happens in the middle of our annual Nobel memorial programme. We are celebrating the twelfth anniversary of the Sweden-India Nobel Memorial week which is a manifestation of the strong bilateral relations between the two countries. The celebrations, spread over a couple of months, act as a vehicle to showcase the prowess of Swedish companies in India”.
“The celebration is about giving warmth and being happy. We invite our friends and enjoy good food together,” he added.
As part of the celebrations, the revellers had splendid food in the form of sumptuous gingerbread cookies and sweet, saffron-flavoured buns shaped like curled-up cats and with raisin eyes prepared by the chef of the Swedish Nobel academy. It was accompanied by Swedish glögg (mulled wine).
