AIZAWL: Christmas, the most important and joyous festival for the Mizos after the advent of Christianity in this tiny hilly Indian north eastern state, has arrived here again from Saturday with the celebration of ‘Urlawk Zan’ or pre-Christmas night tonight.
Christmas was being celebrated in all the villages and localities of urban areas by the young and the old with carol songs echoing the valleys and the hilltops.
Though a religious festival, the Christmas celebrations were mixed with traditional community feasts and social gatherings mainly by young people who organised group outings and candle light dinners in restaurants or at homes.
On Sunday, the Christmas day would witness prayer and worship services everywhere in the houses of worship followed by fellowships and singing of traditional Christmas songs composed by Mizo composers in the typical Mizo tunes with traditional drums as the only musical instruments.
Community feasts, an important tradition of the Mizos during festivities even before Christian missionaries came here, would be held on Monday which might continue for maybe two or three days depending on the contributions of the villagers.
Historians recorded that the first Christmas in Mizoram soil was celebrated back in 1871, not by the Mizos but the invading colonial British troops near Tuivai river on the present Mizoram-Manipur border and the Mizo warriors attacked the soldiers during celebrations. (PTI)