Chavang Kut Festival
( Festival celebrated by the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribes )
By: N Mangi Devi *
Chavang Kut Festival is the greatest and the most joyful Festival celebrated by the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribes in Manipur every year on 1 st November.
Some of the Kut Festivals which are observed in common by all the Kuki-Chin-Mizo people are given below:
1. Mini Kut (Kut of job's ear).
2. Chang Kut (Paddy Kut).
3. Pawl Kut (harvest Kut).
4. Thai lop (Kut of Vegetables).
The Kuts are observed with the arrival of the new crops or after harvesting as the case may be.
The basic philosophy of such observance is that the toiling community must have a short respite and recreation after the years crop has been reaped and before the new year's work is began.
It is an occasion when the village folks praise god for blessings given to them. Thus, even the poorest villager forgets his state of poverty when Kut comes. It is a time for a man to rejoice. The rejoicing is so immensely felt that everyone wishes the occasion to contuine. Even after the Kut is over reminisence of the occasion remain ever fresh yearning for it depicted in the songs.
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After the Kut Festival, when I went to the paddy field, the sight of beautiful Mithunhosn kept reminiscent, the drum sound of the Festival kept on ringing in my ear which made me cry recalling the exceeding sweet memory of the occasion.
Come Autumn, it is a time when Kut comes. It is a time of harvesting for various crops. It is a time for the farmers to be happy and relaxed. Their days of toilling for the year has been handsomely rewarded.
The granaries are filled and cast away all the burdens of yet another year bringing contentment. The weary farmers have peaceful time for respite and recreation.
The villages in the countryside, the towns of modern days as well, are agog with festive mood and merriments fill the air and all people, young and old, men and women are ready to join the merry-making of the Festivals for days on end, burrying the hard days of toil of the days just gone by.
Kut is a time for praying feasting, drinking, singing, dancing and sporting. Kut, a traditional festival has been celebrated by the Kuki ethnic groups since time immemorial. Kut celebration had been part and partial of the traditional life of the Chin-Kuki Mizo people.
KUT has now become institutionalised symbolising unity in diversity among the Kuki people. Kut also plays its significant cultural role. In fact, Kut Festival is the only effective means to preserve the valued cultural traditions and to evolve new cultural elements for the enrichment of the Kuki cultural heritage.
Kut is an effective instrument of socialization process across communal boundary.
So, as Kut happened to be a "thanks giving day" in the ancient past, so can it be today as well. Today, we may have the pastor in place of the priest. We can have tea in place of wine during Kut celebrations.
Unity, integrity, co-existence and oneness are the main characteristics of the Chavang Kut
* N Mangi Devi wrote this book entitled "Festival of Manipur" . This article was webcasted on May 17th 2010.
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