Chapchar Kut Festival

Chapchar Kut is estimated to have started in 1450–1700 A.D. in a village called Suaipui. The festival apparently originated when the hunters came back to the village empty handed, to make up for the disappointment, the Village chief proposed an imu feast with rice beer and meat. Since then, every year the festival had been repeated by the village of Suaipui and spread on to other villages. Chapchar Kut was first revived in 1962 on a grand scale in Aizawl, however it was discouraged when it was felt that it did not adhere to Christian values and rekindling the pre Christian cultural practices like drinking of rice beer, however, it was continued in 1973 on a mass scale sans animistic practice and cheraw dance. Even the Church which had been critical of the festival no longer objected to the festival as it felt that traditional culture was disappearing. Chapchar Kut is now held annually in the Month of March. People dance, perform skits, play musical instruments to celebrate their beloved festival with the aims of bringing camaraderie among the people.