Assam Rifles top gun to visit Mizoram

Aizawl, Apr 26 : Newly inducted Director General of Assam Rifles Lt Gen K S Yadav is scheduled to arrive here tomorrow for a three-day visit.

Assam Rifles' sources said the Director General, who was on his maiden visit to the Northeast, would review security situation in the state and chalk out new strategies for border security with the officials of Mizoram range of Assam Rifles.

Mr Yadav is also expected to call on the state top officials, including Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and Governor Lt Gen(rtd) M M Lakhera during his stay.

Mr Yadav had an impression of Mizoram as a model of peace and development for other states, AR sources added.

''Assam Rifles, Mizoram is indispensable to the history of the state. The paramilitary force has been serving as 'friends of the hill people' for the last 175 years,'' the director general said.

BAMBOOZLED Mizoram

A troupe of 10,780 tribals in India’s North East set a record on March 14th 2010 for the largest dance ensemble in the world with a carefully choreographed routine to welcome in the summer. The dancers spread out over three kilometres to perform an eight-minute jig with bamboo sticks, setting a record at the expense of the previous holders – a 7,700-strong group in Cebu, in the Philippines. “A new Guinness world record was created with 10,780 dancers performing the bamboo dance for eight minutes in perfect rhythm,” a representative of the Guinness Book of World Records, Lucia Sinigagliesi, said after the event. Sinigagliesi handed over a certificate to the arts and culture minister of the state of Mizoram. The bamboo dance, locally known as the Cheraw dance, is the harbinger of the Chapchar Kut festival of the Mizo tribal group, which marks the end of winter and advent of summer.

The total number of dancers in the Cheraw were 10,736 in 671 groups spread between a 2.5 km stretch of the main city road between Sikulpuikawn in the south and Chanmari in the north as well as inside the Assam Rifles ground.

The record attempt was organized a day after the state celebrated the Chapchar Kut festival, which is a curtain raiser to the bamboo dances. The state has three kuts (festivals), which are spread over the agricultural year.

Chief Minister Lathanhawla was named the Father of the Kut while cultural affairs minister Zoramsangliana, credited with organising this mass dance, was named the Host of the Kut.

The previous record for the largest dance gathering was held by the Phillippines’ Cebu province where about 7,000 people had joined hands to dance together last year.

Cheraw dance is a combination of rhythm and skill. Four people hold two pairs of long bamboos across one another on the ground. As the bamboo sticks are clapped together, the main dancers in traditional attire weave patterns through them in time with the rhythm.

The whole of Mizoram was united for the common cause-organising the World’s Largest Bamboo Dance. For a month, the sounds of the bamboo and music were heard literally everywhere, and it was the only talk on people’s lips. The day drew closer, and the practice and the anxiety increased. Finally, the day arrived.

I was there, amidst the crowd, the pride, the hope and eventually, the celebration. Yes, I had witnessed one of the greatest moments of Mizo history, where literally the whole state was united for a common cause.

The faces of those who had actually danced the dance are now a part of the history of this beautiful and varied culture; their smiles, their pride and the hope in their eyes will always be on my mind. Not only the people back home, but our brothers and sisters living in other parts of the world were a part of this momentous occasion, in spirit and prayers, if not in person.

The days after followed with a buzz, and a feeling of pride amongst everyone, especially for the fact that, now, we may have finally made a name for ourselves, in some ways, if not in other. And no more will the Mizos be just another ‘tribal’ people.

H. Vanlalnghaka

Mizoram police identify slain Bru militant

Aizawl, April 10: Mizoram police have identified the slain Bru militant in Tripura as Thankima, the main accused in the murder of a Mizo youth in November last year.
The dead body of Thankima was recovered inside Tripura near the Mizoram border last week.
A special investigation team who immediately rushed to Tripura, have identified the militant as Thankima for whom they have been hunting for months, police sources said here on Monday.
According to Mizoram police, Thankima was the kingpin in the gunning down of Zarzokima, a 17-year-old youth of Bungthuam village in Mamit district in western Mizoram on November 13, 2009.
”He was the person who actually pulled the trigger,” a source in the police said.
Police sources said Tripura police are investigating the case to find who had killed Thankima.
The Mizoram police had arrested six persons in connection with the Bungthuam killing which had triggered communal violence between Mizos and Brus, forcing hundreds of Brus to flee to the neighbouring Tripura last November. (UNI)

Easter Sunday observed in Mizoram

Aizawl, Apr 5 (PTI) Easter Sunday, signifying the resurrection of Jesus Christ, was observed here with religious fervour by different churches across Mizoram.

Special prayer and worship programmes were held in every village and locality.

The Salvation Army band party played "He's risen" in Aizawl and different towns to mark the day.

Members of the Catholic Church broke their week-long traditional fast to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.