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Sarlamkai/Solakia
Dance
Solakia
Originally, this dance was used to be performed mainly by the people of the Maras and Pawi communities of Mizoram. They remain the best exponents of the dance to date. Like Rallu Lam, Solakia was also performed in earlier time to celebrate a victory in war. Marked with five principal movements, the dance seeks to recapture the actions of a hero at war.
Sarlamkai
One of the most impressive Mizo community dances, Sarlamkai is a variation of
Solakia. The two dances are almost identical. The only difference lies in the dress and tempo. No song is sung; only gongs or cymbals
Therefore, every adult strives with all his or her capability to be such a hero. The courage and bravery of such heroes is a great consolation for the people when faced with any external aggression. It is during this ceremony that the 'Sarlamkai' dance is performed. As is obvious, it is a warrior dance performed to celebrate a victory in war.
Songs are not sung; only gongs or cymbals or drums are used for making beats. In the dance, boys and girls standing in alternate position, dance in circles. They generally wear colorful dresses while the leader is dressed as a warrior.
Chailam
Chailam is a popular dance performed on the occasion of 'Chapchar
Kut' one of the most important festivals of the Mizos. In this dance, men and women stand alternatively in circles, with the women holding on to the waist of the man, and the man on the women's shoulder. In the middle of the circle are the musicians who play the drums and the
mithun's horn.
The king, then seeing the utter disappointment of his men, rose to the occasion and consoles them by inviting them for a drink of rice beer at his palace. On being intoxicated by the drinks, the party then culminated by singing and dancing followed by a sumptuous feast.
Since then, every year, the community continues to enliven the memory of this occasion be celebrating it with various entertainment programs, thus giving rise to one of the most important festivals of the Mizos, the 'Chapchar
Kut'. In this dance, musical instrument like drum and horns of mithun are used for making beats.
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