Mizo people in Mizoram state in northeast India entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest Bamboo (Cheraw) Dance with 10,736 people performing at a time on March 12.

The largest bamboo dance was achieved by the people of Mizoram in Aizawl, Mizoram, India, on 12 March 2010”

The record-breaking event saw performers from Aizawl and the outskirts line up a 3 km stretch of a road alongside a football field in the Assam Rifles complex. Only 2,518 performers could be accommodated in the field while the remaining 8,218 danced on the road.

The event was organized by the Art and Culture Department of Mizoram state and the adjudicator was Lucia Sinigagliesi who came from London. The rehearsals started at 2 pm on the ground and the main road. The announcement was made at 3 pm.

The certificate said “The largest bamboo dance was achieved by the people of Mizoram in Aizawl, Mizoram, India, on 12 March 2010”  and was given away to Mr. Zoramsangliana, Minister of Art & Culture Department by Lucia Sinigagliesi, adjudicator of the Guinness World Record.

In a group, there were 8 males and females each, 16 persons participated and it was made up of 671 groups to make it to the record of the largest bamboo dance at a time in Gunnies Book of World Records.

“This is a great day for us. We have set a record for others to try and break. Glory to God!” said Mizoram Art and Culture Minister PC Zoram Sangliana.

Bamboo (Cheraw) dance is performed on the event of Chapchar Kut every March. Though peculiar to Mizos, Cheraw was eligible for entry into the record book as similar dances are performed in Chin state, Burma, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.

“This has a chance of making it to the Guinness Book of World Records for 2011,” Sinigagliesi said.-
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