North East News Agency

CHAPCHAR Kut is a time when the Mizos relive their glorious tradition of past. This year too, all      led to the AR Grounds where the Kut celebrations were held with a lot of gusto on 9th and 10th March. Smiling girls in their lovely puanchei and lithe young men wearing their ngotekherh, young and old alike nobody wanted to miss the event of the year.

As a curtain-raiser, a competition of indigenous games such as Mizo Inbuan, Insuknawr and Kalchhet was held in the morning of 9th March. A musical fiesta which till evening saw a galaxy of Mizo artsistes enthralling the audience with popular folk and pop songs. There was also an exhibition of Mizo handloom and handicrafts by the            industries Commission as well as a flower exhibition by the Horticulture department where a variety of home-grown anthurium, roses and orchids were on show.

One of the main attractions of the Kut was the Photo exhibition by the I&PR department. sd to see rare photos such as the signing of the Peace Accord and the MNF Homecoming (1987), which brought many a nostalgic comment especially from the senior Moments and people captured on film during the 70s and ’80s byAhmed Hussain an as well as photos showing contemporary Mizo life and culture by Rachana Bhattacharya Christopher Rego added immensely to the success of the exhibition.

The main celebrations on the second day started with the sounding of the darkhuang by the Kut Pa Chief Minister Zoramthanga. Soon, the whole ground reverberated with the clicking of bamboo staves and was filled with colours of swishing puanchei and     when young boys and girls from over 40 branches of the YMA performed the cheraw. Even before the already enchanted crowd could catch its breath, more dancers swirled in one    the     to perform chawnglaizawn, tianglam and khuangchawi. In between the dances, duet song sung by top Mizo female singers Daduhi and Rebecca Saimawii sent their fans into a frenzy.

Perhaps the highlight of the day was the Costume Parade put on show by the Chhinga Veng YliViA, where costumes and social life of the Mizos before 1600s to the present era

The crowd loved the show and the changes in fashion down the decades on display were certain to bring back fond memories to many.

It is said that in the days of old when chiefs ruled over the people, no one was allowed to be sad on Chapchar Kut. They were to put away all cares and worries behind, even couples not to squabble.         The whole village drank specially brewed rice beer, sang and danced the whole night through. Laughter and songs filled the air. And so it is only befitting that the Chapchar Kut 2006 came to a close with the zavai chai, when everyone joined hands, spread out all over  the grounds and danced the chai to the lovely tunes of traditional Mizo folk songs.

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