March brings a mix of cultural and religious celebrations, with Chapchar Kut, Holi, and Good Friday observed on March 1, March 25, and March 29, respectively. These closures highlight the rich cultural diversity in Mizoram. Additionally, the second and fourth Saturdays remain designated as bank holidays across the country.
Date & Month | Day | Holiday |
---|---|---|
March 1 | Friday | Chapchar Kut |
March 9 | Saturday | Second Saturday Bank Holiday |
March 23 | Saturday | Fourth Saturday Bank Holiday |
March 25 | Monday | Holi |
March 29 | Friday | Good Friday |
Believed to have originated between 1450 and 1700 A.D. in the village of Suaipui, Chapchar Kut has a unique historical background. The festival's inception is linked to a moment when returning hunters, facing disappointment after an unsuccessful hunt, were proposed by the Village Chief to partake in an impromptu feast featuring rice beer and meat. This spontaneous celebration became an annual tradition in Suaipui and eventually spread to neighboring villages.
Holi, the Hindu spring festival, is observed across North India on the full-moon day of Phalguna (February–March). During this celebration, participants engage in throwing colored water and powders at each other. Remarkably, on this specific day, the conventional hierarchies of caste, gender, status, and age are temporarily overturned.
Good Friday, observed annually on the Friday before Easter, is the day when Christians commemorate the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Since the early days of Christianity, Good Friday has been dedicated to sorrow, penance, and fasting—a sentiment captured in the German term Karfreitag, meaning "Sorrowful Friday."