IMPHAL, Nov 2 ? Thousands of people mostly ethnic tribes of the north-east India and Myanmar exchanged vows for peace and prosperity in a one-day post-harvest festival of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo groups held at different places under the sun on Monday. Kut, the post harvest festival of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo (CHIKIM) ethnic tribes of the north-east India and western Myanmar was celebrated with all gaiety and fervour.
The main function was held at Kangpokpi Thomas ground in Senapati district of Manipur bordering Nagaland with Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh as chief guest. Apart from cultural programmes presented by troupes of various associated tribes, musical events and the beauty pageant, Miss Kut competition was the main highlights of the celebrations.
In response to the Kut celebration committee?s reiterated appeals, people of all communities particularly the CHIKIM have attended the function in their respective costumes and traditional dresses which made the festival more colourful. The festival occupies not only a unique position among the Kuki-Chin-Mizo people but amongst all the Manipuris.
The CHIKIM tribes inhabited in eastern India and north western Myanmar understand one another?s dialect because they share a common origin and folklore. The festival is being given different names in different places. But the spirit of the celebration is the same everywhere.
When the Kut comes, the people of Manipur particularly the Chin-Kuki-Mizo seems to put behind the mudslide, blast, killing and all such things to welcome the Kut with all gaiety and fervour. Reports of celebrations of the festival at different places have also been pouring in.
International Kut Festival 2004 Selection Committee also organised an International Kut Festival at Moreh. Besides, the festival is being celebrated in Churachandpur, Jiribam, and Yaingangpokpi in Manipur.
The Chief Minister speaking on the occasion said that Kut festival celebrates the human spirit of hard work and dedication and of conviviality. The festival is a reminder that nature?s bounties are for all of us to share jointly in a spirit of brotherhood. Over the years Kut, a cultural, social and spring festival, has also started to signify the spirit of peace and amity among the many ethnic groups in the State.
Calling upon the people to introspect on their thoughts and values on the day, Manipur Governor SS Sidhu in his greetings said that Kut festival symbolizes compassion, gaiety and gratefulness. The Governor also expressed confidence that the celebration of the festival in its true spirit will help in ensuring peaceful co-existence among all the ethnic groups of Manipur.
Kut has been celebrated from time immemorial. It is a tradition handed down by one successive forefather and has great cultural value. Modern Kut, however, at the State level was first celebrated about two decades back when lateMaj Pagin Kipgen and others took the initiative, making it a common platform.
Since then, Kut has been celebrated on November 1 every year with great splendour and magnificence in Manipur and in other parts of the globe. In Manipur, Chavang Kut turned out to be a big hit though has lost its worthiness to some extent.
Interestingly, three popular Mizo festivals connected with the agricultural activities include the Chapchar Kut, the spring festival, the Mim Kut, usually celebrated in the months of August and September after the harvesting of maize is over.
And the Pawl Kut is one of the three major thanks-giving festivals to God for successful reaping of agricultural outputs, celebrated every December-January after harvesting of the paddy.