AIZAWL, March 1: The
two-day celebration of Chapchar Kut, the most colourful
festival of the Mizos, concluded amid pomp and gaiety at
the Assam Rifles Ground
here today.
The biggest festival of the
Mizos, celebrated across the
State, was one of the traditional ways of Mizo merrymaking that had almost been
eliminated by Christianity.
Chief Minister Zoramthanga was the ‘Kut Pa’
(father of the festival) on the
second day of the festival,
which was themed ‘Zofate
Impumkhatna’ (Unity of Zo
kindred tribes).
People from all walks of life
clad in traditional attire
thronged the streets of Aizawl and the festival venue,
Lammual, was tastefully decorated as cultural dances, traditional games and music
were held on the occasion.
‘Kut Pa’ Zoramthanga
greeted the Mizo people
across the globe and urged
them to unite through the
spirit of Chapchar Kut. “Let
this festival bring stronger
unity among the Zo kindred
tribes in India, Myanmar
and Bangladesh,” Zoramthanga said.
As part of the celebration,
flower, photo and painting,
handicraft and handloom, and
food exhibitions were organised at the venue.
Chapchar Kut has been
celebrated in Mizoram for
ages. Mizo historians believe
that it originated while Mizos settled in Myanmar
around 1450 AD.
After the advent of Christianity in Mizoram, the conservative Mizo Christians
came to consider every Mizo
ritual as pagan.
The new converts and missionaries felt
most of the cultural traditions
of the heathen Mizos, including the observance of Chapchar Kut and other traditional festivals, which were connected with animistic practices and drinking of Zu (rice
beer), were unbecoming of
Christianity. The newly converted Christians were,
therefore, barred from participating in these festivals.
However, with literacy and
exposure to the outside
world, there was an increasing opinion that cultural heritage could be refined without compromising with the teachings of the Bible.
Around 1930, some nationalistic-minded Mizo Government employees celebrated
Chapchar Kut. The Mizo District Council in 1952 passed
a Bill for the observance of
Chapchar and the public celebration of the festival on a
large scale and in an organised manner took place only
from 1960 onwards.
The modern-day Chapchar Kut is a blend of Mizo
culture and Christianity.
“Now, the Mizo Christians
no longer look at our cultural
heritage as detrimental to
our faith but rather as an enrichment of Christian brotherhood worldwide,” RK
Thanga, president of Mizoram Upa Pawl (senior citizens’ association), said.
Besides Mizoram, cultural
troupes of all the North Eastern States participated in the
festival that showcased Mizo
dances, songs and music, fashion parades and demonstration of customs and traditions.
Delegates from Myanmar,
Bangladesh and different
States of India, besides domestic and foreign tourists,
attended the festival. ~ Assam Tribune
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