Silchar, Oct. 9: Tired of watching cricket and football on TV? Craving for something different? Then tune in to DD Sports from November 5-8 to watch the passion and emotion of Mizoram's own homegrown games.
Doordarshan, in association with the state sports council, is organising a three-day indigenous Mizo sports festival at Brigade Field in Bawngkawn, Aizawl.
Seven traditional games will be featured in the event, according to Vanlaltlana Varte, programme executive and the chairman of the organising committee of the Mizo indigenous sports festival.
"It's a first-of-its kind effort by Doordarshan to hold such an exciting event in Mizoram. Different units of the Young Mizo Association will take part in the competitions," he said today.
Asked why only one organisation - the Young Mizo Association - would participate in the event, Varte said many teams weren't aware of the festival because this is the first time it is being held. "We will give adequate publicity about the event across the state. Till now, we have only received the names of different units of the YMA that have expressed their willingness to take part in the carnival," he said.
The men will compete in events like inbuan (wrestling), insuknawr (stick fighting), insaihruipawh (where two participants stand in circle holding either end of a rod with the objective of driving the other person out of the circle) and inarpa sual (a type of one-legged wrestling).
The women will participate in inkawibah (a game played with kawi beans), ketaminu tlansiak (bamboo-carrying race) and tuium khirha tui inchawisiak (a race while carrying water with bamboo poles).
Insuknawr (stick fighting) is hugely popular and is Mizoram's state game. Only men participate in it.
Varte said Doordarshan, which has approved an approximate budget of Rs 10 lakh for the festival, would sponsor the entire event.
A meeting of the executive members of the organising committee was held at the Doordarshan Kendra in Aizawl today and a detailed plan was chalked out.
Varte said the Centre has decided to promote traditional games of different states by broadcasting the events on DD Sports. Airing these indigenous games on television will encourage the youth to play and preserve them, he said. It will also highlight the richness of Mizo culture.
According to Varte, promotion of indigenous games is very important for the development of sports in the country. He urged people from all walks of life to attend the sports festival and make it a grand success.
Vanlalruata, general secretary of the Young Mizo Association, today lauded the efforts of Doordarshan for promoting the indigenous games and culture of the state.
He underscored the importance of preserving one's culture and traditional sports.
