Artists perform Cheraw dance and Solakia dance at the annual Anthurium Festival, Mizoram, India.

Viewer Anette Ch points out: "It is Buhzai and not Cheraw and Solakia dance!" What do you think, folks?

Cheraw is a very old traditional dance of the Mizos. It is believed that the dance had already existed way back in the 1st Century A.D., while the Mizos were still somewhere in the Yunan Province of China, before their migration into the Chin Hills in the 13th Century A.D., and eventually to the present Mizoram. Some of the tribes living in South East Asia have similar dances in one form or the other with different names.

Solakia is an impressive dance originating from the Pawi and Mara communities in the southern part of Mizoram. This dance is known as 'Sarlamkai' whereas the Lushais referred to it as 'Rallu Lam'. In older days when the different tribes were constantly at war with each other, a ceremony to deride the vanquished beheaded skull of the enemy was usually held by the victor. This ceremony is performed to ensure that the vanquished soul remains a slave to the victor even when the latter also dies.

The Anthurium Festival is a 3 day-long event organized every year in September by the state govt. of Mizoram with the aim to promote tourism in the state and also encourage Anthurium cultivation in Mizoram. It is a very popular festival and has slowly become one of the most prominent tourism festivals of the North East region.

The Anthurium Festival is celebrated every year at the tourist resort in Reiek Village at the foothills of the mystic Reiek Mountain. Set in an idyllic and mystic location about 20kms away from Aizawl, the capital city of Mizoram, the serene and tranquil beauty of Reiek Village adds an amazing charm to the beautiful Anthurium Festival. Beautiful Anthurium flowers grown in Mizoram are put on display and sold during the Anthurium Festival and tours to amazing Anthurium plantations are also conducted during the 3 day festival. What starte