Manipur celebrates Kut festival

Imphal: The State Level Kut Celebration 2022 was celebrated at Peace Ground, Tuibong, Churachandpur with chief  minister N. Biren Singh gracing the celebration as chief guest.

The celebration of the chin-kuki-mizo tribe festival began with the chief minister pounding the traditional gong.

Cultural dances by different tribes were showcased. Miss Kut Contest 2022 was another main highlight of the programme.

Chavang Kut is celebrated on the 1st of November to honor the blessings of the deity for a good harvest every year. It also marks the end of the harvesting season. Roughly translated, ‘Chavang’ means ‘autumn’ and Kut means ‘harvest’.

Biren greeted the people on the auspicious occasion of Kut. He said considering the difficulties faced by people from districts like Chandel, Kangpokpi and Churachandpur in attending the state level Kut celebration organised at Imphal, the government had decided to take the celebration to other districts too.

He lauded the different cultural troupes showcasing their dance forms in their beautiful traditional customs. “This is the beauty of India, the beauty of Manipur,” Biren said, emphasizing on the beauty of India’s Unity in Diversity.

Manipur comprises more than 30 smaller communities, he said and urged the people of Churachandpur to get ready for the state’s extravaganza Sangai Festival which will be celebrated this month.

This year, various events will be held as part of Sangai Festival at places like Khoupum and Behiang in Churachandpur, where the Chivu Chandrakirti Memorial Park was inaugurated, he said. Sangai Festival will not be confined to only Imphal, he added appealed to all to join the festival.

Stating that festivals like Kut bring the people together, Biren lauded all the participants from different communities and the organisers of the festival. He appealed to all to continue living together in peace, with mutual respect in a brotherly manner and bring equal and inclusive development.

Biren said people can bring any issue of discontentment before the government through their representatives or to him directly. He announced to provide the required fund of Rs 1.5 crore for completion of the stadium at the Peace Ground, Churachandpur adding that sports is necessary for a healthy society.

He made a call for peaceful co-existence as citizens of Manipur and India.

The programme was also attended by commerce and industry minister Nemcha Kipgen, Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution minister L. Susindro Meitei, Social Welfare minister H. Dingo Singh, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba, MLAs of different Assembly Constituencies, director general of police, officials of District Administration, Churachandpur and leaders of civil society organisations among others.

Nemcha said Kut is the biggest and the most popular festival of the chin-kuki-mizo tribes. The festival is a post-harvest thanksgiving festival to the almighty god for the abundant blessings of good harvest.

Celebrations of the Kut has become even more important, relevant, and meaningful as it promotes the essence of brotherhood among different communities. She expressed hopefulness that the Kut festival will be a harbinger of good tidings for all.

Sanajaoba lauded the theme of the Kut 2022 which is “Unity through culture” and said Manipur is a state where people from different communities with their own ways of life, culture, religion, tradition live together. He appealed to all to continue living together in peace and with unity and to bring development to Manipur.

The chief minister visited INA Complex at Moirang and the site at Moirang Khunou where the Sangai Ethnic Park is being constructed and took stock of the ongoing construction work. He also visited the Loktak Lake and inspected the area.