Buonsilthak Kut (2008) Celebrated
By Th Mangminthang Gangte *
Buonsilthak Kut, the biggest post-transplantation festival of the Gangte tribe - inhabiting the Kapaih Valley in Manipur's Churachandpur district - was celebrated with much fanfare and joviality on August 2, 2008 at Bunglon village in Churachandpur district.
As the sun ascended from the picturesque Baruni hills, farmers of the villages put those painstaking days when they toil from early morning till late in the day out of their mind, and came out in open to celebrate the much anticipated festival to mark the completion of transplantation of paddy in the terrace fields.
The celebration function was marked by thanksgiving to the Almighty for enabling the poor farmers to complete their transplantation since the tilling of the fields, presentation of songs by up-and-coming artists, presentation of prizes to farmers, exhortation from village elders to farmers and a grand Kut feast.
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This year's Buonsilthak Kut has adversely missed to witness the presentation of cultural items and indigenous games and sports, which otherwise were the most vital part of the celebration on earlier occasions. However, the console for it came from budding artists like Romeo Seipu, Kailalmuon and Malsawm, who took the Kutters by storm by belting out heart rending and soul soothing numbers.
Speaking on the occasion, Daniel Panmei, social activist, who was also the Chief Guest of the function dwelt at length for the welfare of the people and development of the area while promising a village community hall for the host village-Bunglon.
Among others, the function also witnessed the presence of dignitaries like SH Thangjom, retired ZEO; Khamzalal Gangte, chief of Khousabung village; Achung Kom, chief of Phunchongjang village.
It may be mentioned that this socio-religious festival has been celebrated since 2004 and the fest became a household name over the years as an event, which centers on the unique aspect of the Kut-ter community and it necessarily has become a high point for the poor farming community.
And this event has eventually become an occasion to give thanks to the Almighty by the agragrian community of the area.
Check out gallery on Kut here
* Th Mangminthang Gangte contributes to e-pao.net regularly. The writer can be contacted at tmgangte(at)yahoo(dot)com This article was webcasted on August 08, 2008.
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