DIBRUGARH, Oct 31 � For the first time in Upper Assam, the Chin-Kuki-Mizo people will be centrally celebrating their post-harvest festival called �Chavang Kut� here on November 4.
The term �chavang� means autumn and �kut� means festival. This age-old post-harvest festival is celebrated by all the kindred groups of Chin-Kuki-Mizo origin. They are cognate groups known by different names in different places of settlement as �Chin� in Chin Hills of Myanmar, �Mizos� in Mizoram, �Kukis� in the States of Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Tripura and those inhabited in the Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh.
The scattered Chin-Kuki-Mizo community living in different parts of the world customarily celebrate this festival even in places like the United States of America, London, Singapore, etc. In the olden days, the people used to celebrate this festival for days together in giving thanks to their �Chung Pathen� (God) for His blessings.
�It is predominantly a festival of merry-making, drinking and dancing besides traditional sports like climbing a greased pole, high jump (jumping over a buffalo, etc.), long jump, etc. It used to be the best time for the youths for courtship and selecting would-be life partners of their choice as they perform in public to the best of their talents,� according to Dr L Doungel, one of the organizers of the event.
The highlights of the programme will comprise cultural items, showcasing of traditional attires, choreography and a host of other colourful events, including special numbers from artistes coming from the NC Hills and Manipur.
Sangboi Doungel, president and John Lupheng, general secretary of the Dibrugarh branch of the Kuki Students� Organization, on behalf of the KSO (Dibrugarh) and Kut organizing committee have fervently appealed to all the Kut celebrating tribes of Upper Assam and all other well-wishers to join them in the day-long celebration.
