Over the decades, the Anglo-Indian Grand Christmas Ball in Chennai has taken up various venues ranging from railway enclaves to private halls. It has left an indelible mark on some of these places, counting Faiz Mahal and Shiraz Hall, both in Egmore. This Christmas Day (December 25), the Faiz Mahal is hosting another Grand Christmas Ball (7pm to 11.30pm) – titled the Care ‘n’ Share Christmas Ball – organized by, but by no means limited to, Anglo-Indians.
For much of the twentieth century, the center of Anglo-Indian social life was railway institutions, and in Chennai, it was in Perambur.
“Previously, most Anglo-Indians worked on the Indian Railways,” says Harry Maclure, publisher and editor of the Indian Railways. anglo in the air“So all our balls and dances naturally took place there,”
An Anglo-Indian family in Royapuram. Royapuram is known for community dances organized by Anglo-Indians Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
These institutions were cultural commons. Christmas dances, Easter Balls, May Queen celebrations and Valentine’s Day Balls would be held there year after year. Entry was not limited to railway employees. “Anglo-Indians coming from outside the railways were always welcomed,” recalls Harry. “That cordiality was a defining characteristic.”
The dances themselves were formal, leisurely affairs. Live bands played throughout the night. Waltz, foxtrot and jeeves took the stage. Even those who did not dance stayed behind, content to listen. Christmas balls often began at nine at night and ended at five in the morning – the entire night being devoted to music, movement, and social ritual.
By the 1970s and 80s, Anglo-Indians began to seek fortunes beyond the Indian Railways, emigrating abroad or entering new professions. “We lost our grip on the railway institutions,” says Harry. “Once that happened, we had to look for other places.”
That search resulted in venues being found across Chennai – Binny’s among them – over the past two decades, before settling on private halls. In Egmore, Shiraz Hall and Faiz Mahal emerged as frequent hosts of what is now known as the Grand Christmas Ball. “Shiraz has been around for at least 20 years,” says Harry.
“There has always been a strong relationship between the Anglo-Indian community and the Muslim families who own these halls.” Negotiations rarely came up even as costs increased. After all, Christmas is not the season for bargains.
Not only the economics of the festival, its structure has also changed. Live bands, once essential, now share venues with DJs and singers performing with backing tracks. Harry recalls, “At first, if you had said there would only be one DJ, the show would have flopped.” “People will not come.”
For many, these halls are not interchangeable spaces but repositories of personal history. Treasure Jacob, a member of the Forum of Anglo-Indian Women (FAIW), remembers her first dance clearly, and not because of the venue. “I didn’t meet my husband at the dance,” she says. “He was already my boyfriend. But the first time we went together, he taught me how to dance. This was in 1988. “I didn’t know how to dance at all,” she recalls. “He told me, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll teach you.'” Songs like Save the Last Dance, Mari Mari and Could I Have This Dance still take her to that same place. Are.
However, getting there required negotiation. “We went with our parents as kids,” Treasure says, “but once we got older, it was a struggle to get permission.” The dancing continued throughout the night and parents enforced a strict curfew. “My dad would come in at four in the morning, show his watch and say, ‘It’s time.’ We’ll beg for one last dance.”
The protocol was firm. The tickets were checked. Dress code enforced. Suits and gowns were mandatory. The father would sometimes wait outside, unable to enter without formal attire, standing guard until it was time to go home. Fashion, like everything else, has evolved from low-waisted dresses and leg-of-mutton sleeves to long gowns and contemporary silhouettes, but the spirit of occasion remains intact.
Even food tells a story. The earlier menu included pork fries, meat roasts, cutlets, chapattis, sandwiches, tongues and oxtails. Chicken was rare. Today’s spread includes everything from pasta and noodles to Manchurian – a buffet the size of migration and return.
That return remains a powerful pull. Many Anglo-Indians return to Australia, especially Perth, every Christmas. Others come once every two years. “We all want to come back,” Harry admits. “Even if we can’t settle down again, the relationship never ends.”
So does location matter? “Every place has its own mood,” says Harry. “But identity comes from the people.”
While lavish Christmas balls now head to Shiraz Hall and Faiz Mahal in Egmore, the season is not limited to these prime addresses. Smaller associations continue to organize dances in the neighborhood halls of Pallavaram, Tambaram and St. Thomas Mount – areas where Anglo-Indians once had a strong presence. These gatherings are more compact, often organized by local clubs or family networks, but have similar codes of dress, music, and commemoration. For many elderly residents, these halls are close to home and close to the heart.
published – December 25, 2025 07:07 am IST