Khuallam

Understand

Where Khuallam comes from

Khuallam is the festival dance of the Mizo people, performed at the Chapchar Kut (the central pre-harvest festival of the Mizo community) and at the cultural celebrations of the Mizo state. The dance is performed by men of the community in a circle, with the men wearing the traditional Mizo shawl (the puandum) and the colourful Mizo turban. The dance is associated with the celebration of the Mizo harvest and with the cultural identity of the Mizo community. The dance has been documented as one of the most distinctive regional traditions of Mizoram and is regularly performed at the cultural programmes of the state and at the regional Mizo community gatherings.

How it's practiced

Khuallam is performed by groups of men of the Mizo community in a circle at the central courtyard of the village or at the open ground of the Chapchar Kut festival. The men wear the traditional Mizo shawl (the puandum) and the colourful Mizo turban, and dance in coordinated steps to the song of the Khuallam cycle and the rhythm of the khuang (drum) and the darbu (gong). The dance is gentle, with the men stepping in time to the song and the regional instruments. Costume is the traditional Mizo dress — the puandum and the colourful Mizo turban. Performances are at the central courtyard and at the cultural programmes of the state.