Fairs and Festivals of Meghalya
Festivals
The festivals of Mizoram are related to the agricultural activities
that bring forth the vibrancy and the liveliness of the people of
Mizoram possessed. Some of the major festivals in Mizoram that can be
mentioned are Chapchar Kut, Mim Kut, Pawl Kut and Thalfavang Kut.
Chapchar Kut (March)
The spring festival is the most important in Mizoram. When the
festival comes, people of all ages, men and women, dressed themselves
in these traditional and colourful costumes and wore exotic headgears
and jewelleries to assemble and perform various folk dances. They also
sing traditional songs accompanied by beating of drums, gongs and
cymbals.
The group from every region come to the event and displayed their
best performance. The performers dance in joyous celebration of life.
These dances have a feel of bonhomie and courting woven into them.
'Cheraw' or the 'bamboo dance' which is popular all over the country
is also performed during this festival.
Mim Kut and Pawl Kut (November/December)
This festival is also part of the tourist season. It is celebrated
for the completion of the harvesting season. During these festivals,
the various folk dances, exulting songs and energetic games are
performed. When the festival takes place, the entire community also
joins in with great enthusiasm, joy and feasting. During these
festivities 'tingtang' (guitar) and 'phenglawng' (flute) which are the
indigenous musical instruments also act as rhyme and musical
accompaniments to the various dances.
Thalfavang Kut (November)
When the people of Mizoram complete the process of weeding of the
field and prepare for the forthcoming harvest, the Thalfavang Kut
festival takes place. This colourful festival is very new to the
tourists and invoke a different kind of experience. A good score of
this festival is that it gives the community an opportunity to come
together, retain the present bonds and renew the old ones.
Christmas (December)
Here Christmas is celebrated for three days starting from 24th till
26th of December. The majority of the population is Christian, so
Christmas is one of the most important events of the Mizos. On
Christmas Eve, the people start celebration in their homes and on the
25th of December, a grand celebration takes place in the church. On
26th December the people organised a grand and sumptuous feast where
everyone from young to old take part and rejoice with great fervour
and festivities.
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