Humanitarian efforts to help those hard by ethnic violence in Manipur started just days after the violence began. Mizoram, a neighbouring state, has been involved in relief efforts since the beginning, and three months after the violence, the relief efforts, if anything, are only increasing in size. From August 15 to August 18, the infamous Vanapa Hall at Aizawl was packed with crowds yearning to get a taste of music from the state’s top artists. But music was not the only reason: these were charity concerts organised separately by two bodies to help Manipur.
Despite Mizoram’s limited economic resources, it possesses a wealth of musical talent. Musicians have become adept at using their skills for charitable purposes, with charity concerts emerging as a primary fundraising avenue in the region.
C Dinthanga, editor of Lelte weekly magazine and a composer with over 100 songs to his name, has been involved in charity concerts since the 1980s. Recalling the early days, he mentioned how they invited Dev Anand to participate in a charity concert aimed at aiding Orissa. This event raised around Rs 4 lakh. He told EastMojo: “We organised a charity concert to help Orissa. I had gone to Mumbai to request Dev Anand to come, and he came all the way to Mizoram.”
Recently, Lelte Weekly organised the “Helping Hands Concert for Manipur Zofate” on August 15 and 16, 2023. The event featured thirty-eight renowned Mizoram artists who volunteered their performances to raise funds. The concert and subsequent door-to-door collections by Mount Carmel school children garnered over Rs 17 lakh in donations.
“The people of Mizoram are fond of music, and greatly value charity concerts for collecting donations. We are people who are sentimental and turn towards music on every occasion. When we are sad, we turn to songs. When we are lonely, we turn to songs.”
He was referring to the custom of the Mizo people, where deaths in any locality are commemorated with three nights of singing by the youth of the locality as per the traditional custom. On the first night, the young people sing continuously until dawn, a gesture aimed at expressing sympathy and offering condolences to the bereaved family.
Another group that recently organised a charity concert was the Zohnathlak Chrisitan Network, which began during the pandemic to start fasting seasons for world healing. However, this is the first time they have organised a charity concert. They also organised a concert to raise funds for Manipur on August 17 and 18 in Vanapa Hall, with twenty-two artists performing.
“This is our first charity concert. Music is the best tool to collect charity. Songs and lyrics have the power to evoke emotions. We chose all the songs, and the theme was patriotism and worship songs. We want to organise a similar concert in Bangalore and other metropolitan cities if we can find the right partners,” said Hmangaihsanga, one of the co-founders of the network.
“The Mizo people have to stand united to support our brethren. The children are the most affected by the incidents, I envision a day when all the children will be united singing ‘one day’ with a sense of freedom and plywood, he said as he broke down in tears,” he said.
EastMojo spoke to some artists who performed at the concert, including the famous composer and singer Rpa Ralte.
“I find this initiative very good because even the people who want to help do not know the right channels to do so. Zo community is still small, so we have a strong sense of brotherhood and this makes Mizoram unique,” he said.
Another performer, Priscilla Laldinpuii Fanai, a gospel artist, also shared her views. “I really enjoyed the program, and I believe charity concerts like these should be organised often. The program organisers, singers and musicians stepped out on a voluntary basis, and many people generously donated funds for the cause. I don’t think there is anything more beautiful than this, the coming together of volunteers and donations for a cause. It shows the beautiful way the Zo people live and it makes our state unique.”
Some of the performers had come all the way from Manipur. One of them, Grace Baite, spoke to East Mojo about her experience. “We travelled for thirteen hours to sing at the concert. We don’t have perfect roads, so it was a struggle and it was tiresome. But it was worth it after we reached here. It (the concert) is a good initiative, a blessing for me and honestly, I really enjoyed it, especially performing with those great artists in Mizoram,” she said.
The Mizo Zirlai Pawl, a prominent student organisation, has been at the forefront of charity concerts. They spearheaded initiatives to aid displaced persons from Manipur and Myanmar through mobile charity concerts, raising substantial sums for their causes. They were the first ones to take the initiative for the Manipur displaced persons by organising a Mobile Charity Concert on May 30, where they raised over Rs 3 lakh.
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The Secretary of Mizo Zirlai Pawl, Jacob Lalmuanpuia, spoke to EastMojo, saying, “We do not have a set number of charity concerts to organise. We organise when and as necessary. We also hold donation drives once in a while.” They had also raised over Rs 5 lakh for Myanmar refugees by partnering with three other NGOs to organise mobile charity concerts in various locations in Aizawl.
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