Celebrating Christmas with Hot Chai and Crispy Murukku

Abhishek Singh, 46, fondly remembers going caroling from door to door as a child in Jabalpur, a city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. As he sang Christmas carols in English and Hindi with his friends, appreciative families would hand him cashews, almonds, and sometimes even kebabs—a coveted delicacy of grilled minced-meat skewers flavored with aromatic spices.

Now, his home welcomes a steady stream of visitors, including eager young carolers, at Christmastime. “Our kettle would never be off the stove,” Singh, who’s an office manager, said. “Chai was constantly on the boil to serve to the guests.”

Across India’s bustling cities, Christmas hospitality takes on a uniquely communal dimension as homes become gathering places for people across different faiths, even as Christian hosts continue to face persecution amid rising Hindu nationalism.