A self-proclaimed prophet in the north-eastern Indian state of Mizoram has caused a stir by presenting a black shawl – a symbol of mourning – to Chief Minister Zoramthanga at a Sunday prayer service.
The episode took place at Zarkawt Presbyterian Church in the state capital Aizawl on January 2. Eyewitnesses said Zoramthanga was seated behind the church elders near the altar. At the conclusion of the service, he was approached by local prophet Lal Rinwama, who was seated in the back row with two men, and presented with a traditional Puandum or black shawl.
Zoramthanga did not resist as the shawl was being wrapped around him. However, he quickly put it down on the pew, they added. Mizoram is a predominantly Christian and mostly Presbyterian state, but the tribal roots of its people ensure some superstitions continue, including the belief in local “prophets.”
It is not known why Lal Rinwama, also known as Awmtea, chose to offer the symbol of mourning to Zoramthanga, a former insurgent leader who surrendered in 1986 to join mainstream Indian politics. One person present inside the church later said that the chief minister looked “calm and not much disturbed.”