The biggest festival of the Mizo community known as Chapchar Kût was held at Sabual village, Jampui Hill on Friday.
This state level annual event is being held every year in the month of March to showcase the Mizo tradition, culture, arts, and crafts as well as to bring unity of all the Zo groups across the globe. This year’s event is jointly organised by the Tripura Group Young Mizo Association (YMA), the ICA, and the Tripura Tourism department. Representatives of both North District and Kanchanpur Sub-Divisional administrations were present as Chief Guest and Guest of Honour respectively on the colourful occasion, while JD Mawia, Vice-President of Jampui Hill Mizo Convention graced the event as Kût Pa (Father of the Festival), and Lalnunfima, President of Tripura Group YMA welcomed all the dignitaries as Kût Thlengtu (Host of the Festival). Other notable invitees were leaders of Central Young Darlong Association.
Langkaih Group YMA and Taitesena Group YMA- also attended from neighbouring Mizoram.
The festival was marked by Mizo songs, both folk and contemporary as well as dances performed by individuals including celebrity singer of Mizo Idol fame David Lalchawisanga Darlong, and various troupes. Group and individual competitions on various Mizo traditional games were also held with attractive prizes. Also highlights of the event included various departmental exhibitions as well as photo exhibition.
Dr Zairemthiama Pachuau, General Secretary of Mizo Convention, in his speech highlighted the collective efforts made by the Mizo community and the Government of Tripura to ensure sustainable development and empowerment of the Mizo community of the state such as codification of the Mizo (Lushai) Customary Law, national highways and road infrastructure developments, prepaid digitalisation of electricity (the first in Tripura and North East). He also touched upon the matters relating to the soon-to-be implemented Jampui Hill Community Based Eco-Tourism project with ‘community’ at the centre that would ensure economic benefit to Jampui Hill community; protection, preservation and promotion of the environment and ecology. Issues on promotion and exposure of the local tradition, culture, arts and crafts to the rest of the world were also discussed. Dr Pachuau also made specific mention of a proposal that was being submitted to the government to officially declare this Chapchar Kût and Christmas Eve as restricted holidays of the state.
