Aizawl: Come March 2010, Mizos most colourful dance Cheraw or bamboo dance will be another name in the Book of Guinness World Records. Mizoram Art & culture minister P.C Zoramsangliana announced that the state government is gearing to make Guiness World Record with largest ensemble of Cheraw Kan (bamboo dance).
“It’s going to be a Herculean task, we have made arrangements in association with Cultural Pursuites Consultant from Shillong, we already have acquired neccessary registration from the Guinness Book of World Records,” said PC Zoramsangliana, who acts as a chairman of the Guinness attempt committee.
The Guinness attempt will coincide with Chapchar Kut, the Mizos most colourful festival on March 12, 2010. ”Necessary arrangements are in place, Adjudicators will come from London’s headquarters of Guinness, we are going to make sure that our record stands for years to come, inorder to do so, we will try to organise at least 500 bamboo dance sets against the required 200 sets intimated by Guinness,” PC Zoramsangliana assured.
Cheraw is the most colourful and distinctive dance of the Mizos, little is known about the origin; possibly the forefathers of Mizos brought it with them when they left their homes in far-east Asia.Cheraw is performed on any occasion these days. But, as the legend goes, it used to be performed in earlier times only to ensure a safe passage for the soul of a mother who died at childbirth. Cheraw is, therefore, a dance of sanctification and redemption performed with great care, precision and elegance.
The dance is characterised by the use of bamboo staves which are kept in cross and horizontal forms on the ground. While the male dancers move these bamboo staves in rhythmic beats, the female dancers perform by stepping in and out of the bamboo blocks.Recognized as one of the oldest dances of Mizoram, Cheraw has become an integral part of almost every festival of Mizoram.
“The major factor is not only to enter the Guinness but also to show the world that culture and traditions can co-exists only with peace and harmony. The Mizoram Government has already nodded Rs. 50 lakh for the dance ensemble, and we hope UPA Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi to grace the function,” PC Zoramsangliana said.