KUT 2009 – Mumbai Chapter
- "Celebrating Cultural Oneness" -

Boilal Gangte *

A sprawling greenery in the heart of Mumbai, a finely cooled and decked auditorium and offcourse many beautiful people was a perfect concoction for a historic moment of "ONENESS"...

Though there was precedence of KUT celebration in a smaller context previously, but 28/11 witnessed the first ever KUT celebration by UNAU CHIKIM in THE METROPOLIS, Mumbai. True to the spirit of the theme "Celebrating Cultural Oneness", the day was a celebration, which was truly unity personified with KUTTERS from across all communities and all walk of life shaking hands and glowing with peaceful smiles in togetherness (which would have broken all shackle of difference incase if there was any).

The event launched at about 15:00 hrs from Mumbai University, with a thunderous LILILILILI...HOHOHOHOHO from the three master compere of Candy, Francis and Kokoi who didn't let even a single second slipped off from engaging, enthralling and enchanting the audience not only with their eloquent and flawless hosting, but also with continuous joy of surprises with quizzes on "Kut-pedia" and lucky draw through badge serial number.

Chairman of the KUT committee, Pa. D Songate felicitated the KUT PA, Pa. W L Hangshing with a bouquet of wild violet orchid's draped across white blossom and then proceed on to give the welcome address not just with words but also with a one pager hand-out.

The program sashayed with the following items -

Songs:

As talent is synonymous and inherent to us, the event reinforced how endowed we are by the Almighty. The sheer abundance, the variety, the perfect execution of talents were just spine chilling and sort of divinely.

• "Areh areh LANU nang I hnam puon toh" from the Hmar trio heated up the stage and then got almost blown off by a hip hopping from Mr. J from his exclusive collections.
• A recreation of "Koiba khatvei zol a koi nom dem" by Francis Thangpu and gang with the drum slaughterer Henry was the show stopper which got to be repeated again with the crowd joining the party from every part of the auditorium. "Chungtoni" from John and gang just mesmerized the heavily loaded crowd with their sheer excellence and seasoned musical blend.
• "Sekmai Zukha" from Mangboi and gang rekindled old times in everyone's heart and the melodious and warm voices of Lunniang enchanted the crowd with her special gospel numbers.
• "Punk – Poisa nei lou" from LENGLAI got not only head-banging but also shook up the entire stage with their rock and rolling performance, while Paoboi smoked up the superlatively charged atmosphere with "Lay back in the arms of someone".

Audience from back

Cultural Couture:

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever". Such enigmatic and exotic are our cultural attires that it ought to be and deserved to be displayed.

• A fashion parade of wonderful ensembles of beautiful and handsome couples draped in an exclusive "handcrafted and handpicked" designs from Lianminthang truly solidified the beauty and color of our cultures.

Cultural troupe:

KUT is a festival of thanks giving feasts with folk-songs and traditional dances in merriment and joviality for all, in honor of the Almighty for the abundant harvest, there were rhythmic and consonance dance from different dance troupe which were spellbinding.

The following were the dance troupe, whose synchronized steps were just a TREAT:

• Zomi Cultural Troupe
• KSO Khannougol
• Hmar Cultural Troupe

KUT Message:

True to the spirit of the theme were the different signature speeches from few elders, which were not only enriching but also motivating.

• "History of KUT" from KUTPA, Pa. W L Hangshing.
• "KUT in the modern day context" from Pa Dr. Ginlianlal Buhril.
• "KUT as a vehicle of oneness" from Pa Kaizadou Thomte.

While Momon from the committee presented the vote of thanks. a little birdie overheard the event coordinators of Neopu, Muan, Lalboi and Boilal committing to the kutters that "It's just the beginning"!!!

Dinner pursued with every single soul comfortably stuffed with the Nizam-e-Biryani (Chicken and Veg variants)...But! with a thick heavy air of departure, thick and heavy not because of the traffic JAM they are to wade through but because of the passionate yearning and eager anticipation for KUT – 2010.

Mumbai Kutters reach out...

Not only was history created, but KUT 2009 – Mumbai Chapter was unprecedented also, because it would perhaps be the only KUT celebration which has a simple committee structure of just a Chairman, a Treasurer and the entire KUTERS as the members, which was not a default but rather a design to live up to the theme of ONENESS.

Though in size and magnitude, it might be termed small-scale, it is our humble and earnest endeavor to continue this baton of peace and harmony through this special vehicle KUT for as long as it takes.

We humbly send out our simple and warm message across the length and breadth across the globe to all, UNAU CHIKIM to re-look and recreate our lost glory of harmony and peace and togetherness, which is our nature and way of life!!!

Mangpha and Mangtha!

Signing off on behalf of Mumbai kutters!!!

Boilal
(For more information and clarification - [email protected])

Related Photo Gallery on this event

• Mumbai Kut Celebration :: 2009

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* Boilal Gangte (wrote this on behalf of KUT Commitee, Mumbai) is a regular contributor to e-pao.net. The writer can be contacted at boilalpg(at)aol(dot)com
This article was webcasted on December 07th, 2009.

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