Chapchar Kut

Chapchar Kut is celebrated every year in the month of March in Mizoram. The festival is celebrated after their most arduous task of Jhum operation i.e. Jungle-cleaning (cleaning off the remnants of burning). The spring festival is celebrated with great favor and gaiety.

Chapchar Kut started in1450-1700 AD in a village called Suaipui. The festival apparently originated from the fact that when hunters returned empty-handed, then the village chief was arranging for a feast with Rice beer and meat to come out of the disappointment. Since then, this feast is spread to other villages also.

The event was discouraged since it was not adhering to Christian values. Again in 1962, it was revived and organised on a large scale in the capital city of Aizawl.

In 1973, the festival was conducted on a mass scale sans animistic practice and Cheraw dance. Churches, once critical of the event, no longer objected, as they felt that traditional culture is disappearing. People dance, perform skits, play musical instruments to celebrate their beloved festival with the aims of bringing camaraderie among the people.

The Festival is celebrated with a lot of drinking and eating.

The main activities which are done during Chapchar Kut are-

1. Chhawnghnawh - A pre-Christian custom of stuffing boiled eggs into each other's mouths.

2 Dance - Cheraw dance is the Main dance but other dances performed during the festival are Khuallam, Chheihlam, Chai, and Sarlamkai.

3. Arts, craft, and Photo Exhibition.

4. Chapchar Kut run.

5. Mizo Traditional Games and a costume parade.

6. Wearing of Traditional dress at workplaces.

7. Stalls with Ethnic cuisine.