Usually Khuallam dance in Mizoram performed in large numbers, this dance can be termed as community dance. The dance is performed with an accompaniment of the sounds of gongs known as darbu`, but has no lyrics for the songs sung.
During the `Khuangchawi` ceremony, the invited guests enter the area performing Khuallam. For this dance, the performers wear special hand woven traditional clothes. These are generally called as Puandum and every Puandum is wrapped over the shoulders of the performers. While performing the various dancing steps, one can also see their colourful costumes swaying, which have black, red, yellow and green coloured stripes on them. These typical costumes are very much significant in their culture, as every girl has to take it along with her after getting married. If ever she becomes a widow, then this cloth is used for covering her husband`s dead body.
|