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Mizoram lies in the southernmost outpost of North Eastern India, the land of the Blue Mountains. Manipur, Assam and Tripura bind the northern end of this little island of tranquility with neighbouring countries Myanmar and Bangladesh nestling most of the state between them.
Evergreen ranges of Mizoram hills with blooms of exotic flora and dense bamboo jungles rise sharply from the plains of Assam in a north south direction. These hills and plunging gorges are criss-crossed by gushing rivers and sparkling waterfalls. Highest among its several peaks is the Phawngpui The Blue Mountain.
In sharp contrast to the dense jungles and steep hills is a rugged quilt of lush paddy fields all the way from the center of the state towards the Myanmar border.
Oral tradition reveals (there is no known recorded history) that the Mizos migrated from their homeland in China about 3 centuries ago, in search of new pastures and settled in these remote Mizo Hills (Lushai Hills). In the nineteenth century this region was annexed to Assam, under the British rule, as the Lushai Hills District and in February 1972, it became the 23rd state of the Indian Union.
From the 19th Century, the Christian Missionaries have played a dominating role in the State, 85.73% of the population are Christians (Presbyterians, Baptists, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army, Seventh Day Adventists, United Pentecostal Church, and other denominations) and are greatly responsible for the westernization of its social life. There has also been a concerted effort by the young to propagate their ancient cultural strains by clinging to their traditional roots resulting in bringing to the limelight some of the most vibrant ancient Mizo traditions, cultural heritage and colourful customs.
Mizoram is a kaleidoscopic 'pleasure trove' for the discerning visitor with its wide array of festivals and dances, handicrafts, flora and fauna, breathtaking natural beauty and temperate climate. The Mizos are friendly and very hospitable. English is one of the Commonly spoken languages. The joyful enthusiasm and gregarious spirit of the local populace has been vastly responsible for establishing some of the most attractive tourism features in this beautiful state.
Today, Mizoram is a dazzling mix of this cross-cultural vibrancy with 87 percent literacy (second highest in India- a fact in which every Mizo takes genuine pride), gender equality and a vigorous pursuit of its ancient cultural traditions and social mores.
Sociable, hospitable and fun loving with very strong community bonds-the Mizos are often referred to as the ‘Songbird of the North east’. This reputation is well entrenched as they are considered to be one of the finest choir singers in North east India.
The term 'Mizo' is a compound of two words: 'Mi' means People and 'Zo' means Hill. Thus Mizo connotes "hill people" and this term gives a racial and distinctive ethnic identity to the people of the state.
Clinging to their identity and culture, despite external influences(which threatened Mizo culture during the turbulent period after Indian independence), Mizos have ensured that it continues to thrive with unabated enthusiasm and vigour.
Every major Mizo village now has an YMA (Young Mizo Association) centre, dedicated to infuse society with its traditional lifestyle and customs. Some of the most colourful aspects of this revival are witnessed amongst the folk and community dances that have been handed down from one generation to the next. It is reflected in the important harvest festivals that are an intrinsic part of Mizo culture.
Although Christianity brought about a near - total transformation in the Mizo lifestyle and outlook some customary laws have stayed on. The efforts of the Missionaries, so it seems, were not directed at changing the basic customs of the Mizo society presumably because they saw nothing much wrong with them. The customs and traditions which they found meaningless and harmful were abolished by persistent preaching. Thus tea replaced ZU as a popular drink among the Mizos. Zawlbuk had been replaced by modern education. Animal sacrifices on ceremonial occasions, which were once an integral part of Mizo religious system, are now considered anathema. But such traditions as the payment of bride price are still continued and encouraged and so are some other customs and community traditions.
The Mizos, being patriarchal, property is inherited by men rather than women. The family property usually goes to the youngest son although the father may leave shares to other sons, if he desires. If a man has no sons, his property is inherited by the next kin on the male side.
If a man dies leaving a widow and minor children, a male relation (who usually happens to be a brother of the deceased) takes charge of the family and looks after the property until one of the sons comes of age. If no such male relative is around, then the widow acts as a trustee of her husband's property until such times as his son or sons are old enough to inherit it. However, although the youngest son of the family is the natural or formal heir to his father under the Mizo customary laws, in actuality, the paternal property is generally divided among all sons. The youngest of them gets a preferential treatment in that he would get the first choice of the articles, and he would get two shares of the cash in case of one each for the other brothers. A daughter or a wife can inherit property only if the deceased has no heir on the male side. Women, however, are entitled to their own property.
The dowry, called thuam, that a girl gets for her marriage from her parents is exclusively her own property. However, a written 'will' formally executed may now confer woman the right to inherit the family property. This is a happy amendment to the traditional customary laws.
The Mizo code of ethics or Dharma moved round "Tlawmngaina", an untranslatable term meaning on the part of everyone to be hospitable, kind, unselfish and helpful to others. "Tlawmngaina" to a Mizo stands for that compelling moral force which finds expression in self-sacrifice for the service of others.
The old belief, ‘Pathian’ is still in use to term God till today. The Mizos have been so enchanted by their new-found faith in Christianity that their entire social life and thought processes have been altogether transformed and guided by the Christian Church organizations directly or indirectly and their sense of values have also undergone a drastic change.
Mizos are a close-knit society with no class distinction and no discrimination on grounds of sex. Ninety percent of them are cultivators and a village exists like a big family. Birth of a child, marriage in the village and death of a person in the village or community feast arranged by a member of the village are important occasions in which the whole village is involved.
Mizoram has an ancient and incredibly rich tradition with dances which reflect the amalgamation of centuries of cross-cultural inputs. The indigenous festivals of this beautiful state mirror it's diverse heritage during the celebration of the seasonal cycle of sowing and harvesting.
'Kut' is the Mizo word for 'Festival'. Since Mizos are agriculturist in occupation, all the festivals are closely associated with agricultural activities. The major festivals of the Mizos areChapcharKut(March),Mim Kut & Pawl Kut (November/December) andThalfavang Kut(November).
Various indigenous musical instruments used during these festivities as accompaniments such as the "tingtang" (Guitar), a string instrument and the "Phenglawng" ( a flute). The revivalist movement of old traditions has been the reappearance of love songs and lullabies originating from the time of the great migrations from Burma.
Chapchar Kut
At the end of February, when winter starts receding, the Mizos prepare the land for fresh planting. There are few days of relaxation before the serious business of sowing starts and that is when the Chapchar Kut festival is celebrated with gaiety and fervour. A spring festival, this is the most important festival and the only one regularly observed during the first week of March in Mizoram.
On this day people of all ages, young and old, men and women dressed in their colorful costumes and distinctive head gears and jewelries, assemble and perform various folk dances, singing traditional songs accompanied by beating of drums, gongs and cymbals.
They dance in joyous celebration of life, each team displaying the best of its region. These are generally group dances with a lot of bonhomie and courting woven into them. Some dances are strictly martial danced by strong virile warriors with their weapons and trophies.
One dance perennially popular is the Cheraw or the "bamboo dance" so called as long bamboo staves are used for this dance. This is the most colourful and distinctive dance of the Mizos requiring skill and an alert mind to perform.
The other main dances performed during Chapchar Kut are Khuallam, Chheihlam, Chai and Sarlamkai.
"Khual lam" is an auspicious dance performed by a group of dancers celebrating new beginnings. It is also a welcome dance for guests during community festivities. To attain a position of distinction, a Mizo had to go through a series of ceremonies and perform many feats of heroic deeds. These ceremonies are always accompanied by a feast and to this feast, friends from nearby villages are invited - hence, Khuallam is the dance for the visitors or guests.
The "Chheih lam" is another community dance performed by both men and women. The war dance "Solakia", a prerogative of the male population of the community, is accompanied by rhythmic beating of the drums.
Exhibition and sale of indigenous Handloom and Handicraft products and other tourist attractions like flower show, food festival, musical competition and different traditional games are also organized during the Chapchar Kut festival.
Mim Kut & Pawl Kut
Dance
The Mizos, blessed as they are with a beautiful environment and rich culture, are a vibrant and sociable society. They love to dance and sing. As a result of which a number of folk and community dances have been handed down from one generation to the other through the ages. The dances are the expressions of the gay, carefree spirit of the Mizos. It should be mentioned here that these dances are not intended for stage performances, rather, they have been evolved for community involvement and participation.
Cheraw
The most colourful and distinctive dance of the Mizos is called ‘Cheraw’. Little is known about the origin of Cheraw. Possibly the forefathers of Mizos brought it with them when they left their homes in far-east Asia. Cheraw is performed on any occasion these days. But, as the legend goes, it used to be performed in earlier times only to ensure a safe passage for the soul of a mother who died at childbirth. Cheraw is, therefore, a dance of sanctification and redemption performed with great care, precision and elegance.
Long bamboo starves are used for this dance, therefore many people call it 'Bamboo Dance'. The dancers move by stepping alternatively in and out from between and across a pair of horizontal bamboos, held against the ground by people sitting face to face on either side. They tap the bamboos in rhythmic beats. The bamboos, placed horizontally, are supported by two bases, one at each end. The bamboos, when clapped, produce a sound which forms the rhythm of the dance. It indicates the timing of the dance as well. The dancers steps in and out to the beats of the bamboos with ease and grace. The patterns and stepping of the dance have many vibrations. Sometimes the steppings are made to imitate the movement of birds, sometimes the swaying of trees and so on.
Khuallam
Khual, in Mizo language, means a guest, lam means dancing. So, Khuallam is the dance of the guest. The Mizos, in the pre-Christian days, believed that the soul, after death went either to 'Pialral' or paradise, or 'Mitthi Khua', a land of sorrow and misery. To have a place in Paradise, one had to prove one's mettle either in war or in hunting or by being a man of distinction in society. To claim a distinguished place in society, one had to perform various ceremonies which included offering community feasts and dances. These ceremonies performed together, were known as 'Khuangchawi'. While performing Khuangchawi one was obliged to invite relatives from nearby villages. The guest entered the arena of the Khuangchawi dancing Khuallam- hence, Khuallam is the dance for the visitors or guests.
The dance is normally performed by men dressed in Puandum (traditional Mizo clothes with red and green stripes) to the accompaniment of a set of gongs known as Darbu. A group dance, the more the merrier, they dance to the tune of gongs and drums.
Chheih Lam
It is the dance over a round of rice beer in the cool of the evening. The lyrics in triplets are normally fresh and spontaneous on-the-spot compositions, recounting their heroic deeds and escapades and also praising the honoured guests present in their midst.
Joie de vivre would be the appropriate term to describe Chheih lam, a dance that embodies the spirit of joy and exhilaration. Chheih lam is performed to the accompaniment of a song called Chheih hla. The song is sung to the beats of a drum or bamboo tube or clapping of hands. People squat on the floor in a circle while a dancer stands in the middle reciting a song with various movements of limbs and body. An expert Chheih dancer performs his part in such a manner that the people around him leave their seats and join the dance. Any one can try this dance, for it has no specific choreography. All that one has to do is to get into the mood and live up to it. Chheih lam is performed on any occasion normally in the evenings, when the day's work is over.
Chai
Chai is a festival dance. It is a community dance with men and women standing oneafter another in a circle, holding each other on the shoulder and the nape. The dancers sway to and fro and swing their feet to the tune of the song, sung in chorus by all of them, while a drummer and gongman beat their instruments used in the dance. Chai presents a grand show, but it is not exactly suitable for performing on the stage. In olden days, the Chai dancers used to consume rice-beer continuously while dancing, they did not know when to stop.
Rallu Lam
Strictly speaking, Rallu lam is not a dance as such. It is rather a celebration or a rite in honour of a victorious warrior. When a warrior comes back after a successful campaign, he is given a warm and colourful reception by the village Chief. The celebration consists of a re-enactment of the warrior's heroic exploits. The mode of celebration, however, varies from village to village.
Solakia
Originally, the dance used to be performed mainly by the people of the Maras and Pawi communities of Mizoram. They remain the best exponents of the dance to-date. Like Rallu lam, Solakia was also performed in earlier times to celebrate a victory in war. Marked with five principal movements, the dance seeks to recapture the actions of a hero at war. Men and women stand in profile, while the hero, brandishing a sword and a shield, dances in the middle to the accompaniment of gong beats.
Sarlamkai
One of the most impressive Mizo community dances, Sarlamkai is a variation of Solakia. The two dances are almost identical. The only difference lies in the dress and tempo. No song is sung, only gongs or cymbals or drums are used to beat time. Sarlamkai has been taken up by most of the schools in Mizoram for cultural activities these days.
Par Lam
The land of enchanting hills has yet another dance, the Par lam. Girls attired in colourful dresses, with flowers tucked in their hair, dance to the tune of songs sung by themselves. The principal movement in the dance involves the waving of hands. A couple of boys lend musical accompaniment by playing guitars. Comparatively, this is a new dance. Nevertheless, it has become a part of the Mizo culture.
Mizoram has rich and colourful range of handlooms. However, of all these the 'Puan' occupies a place of pride in a Mizo lady's wardrobe. A Mizo lady is more fond of her "Puan" than any of her other dresses as the Puan consists of a colorful and breathtaking display of intricate designs.
'Puanchei',
this is one of the most beautiful dresses worn by the Mizo girls. This is worn on occasions such as weddings and festivals such as 'Chapchar Kut' and 'Pawl Kut'. In earlier times, these were all hand woven but nowadays these are mostly machine made. They are made from cotton and the colors are made by a thing called 'Ting'. Along with this, a blouse which is of the same pattern is usually worn.
Ngotekherh is worn in all festivals such as 'Chapchar Kut', 'Mim Kut' and 'Pawl Kut'. The colours used in this cloth are black and white. These are also hand - woven and are made of cotton. The black portion of the handloom is made from some kind of an artificial fur.
Puandum is one of the most important handlooms of the Mizos. These are made from cotton and are handmade. This traditional hand-woven cloth called 'Puandum' is also wrapped over the shoulders while performing 'Khuallam', one of the famous traditional dances of the Mizos.
A Puandum consists of black, red, yellow and green stripes. Significantly, Puandum is an indispensable item which every girl has to take along with her when she gets married. It is used to cover her husband's body when he dies. This is an integral part of the Mizo marriage and failure to bring the cloth entails punishment leading to a reduction in the bride price.
Hnika is also worn on the various festivals. It is one of the finest handlooms of the Mizos. It is made from silk and cotton and were all hand-woven in the olden days, but nowadays they are all machine-made. It has its origin among the Pawi tribe.It is equivalent to the 'Puanchei' cloth among the Pawi tribe. They wear it while performing the various dances such as Cheraw and Sarlamkai during the 'Kut' festivals.
Hmaram is also known as 'Kawkpui zikzial' and are mostly worn by the children and girls. They are worn on the occasions such as 'Chawn Day', 'Chhawnghnawh Day' and 'Chapchar Kut'.
This is one of the first handlooms made by the Mizos. They are usually made of cotton and they are hand-woven.
Kawrchei is worn on every 'kut' such as 'Chapchar Kut', 'Mim Kut' and 'Pawl Kut'. It is one of the most beautiful blouses worn by the girls. Like other clothes they are hand-woven and are made from cotton.
This are usually worn along with 'Puanchei' and while performing the various dances of the Mizos
Taking home a water-proof Mizo hat (Khumbeu) made with bamboo and leaves, as a souvenir of Mizoram, is a must.
You will find a good selection of traditional handloom shawls, bags and bamboo handicrafts in Bara Bazar. If you are looking for a variety and better quality crafts, the State Government Emporium and Hnam Chhantu are good places to start your shopping spree.
Some of the other markets you can explore are New Market, Ritz Market, Bazar Bungkawn, Thakthing Bazar and Solomon's Cave in Aizawl. Shopping centers at Lunglei, Saiha, Champhai, Kolasib and other towns are also good places to shop.
Blue Mountain: The Highest peak in Mizoram, the Blue Mountain (Phawngpui) is situated in Chhimtuipui district overlooking the bend of the river Koldyne (Chhimtuipui) close on the state's border with Myanmar. The peak 2,157 metre in height and encircled by bamboo groves at the top where there is a level ground of about 200 hectares, offers a grand view of the height hills and the meandering undulated valleys. The woods around are home to various species of beautiful and rare flora and fauna.
Pukzing Cave: The largest cave in Mizoram, it is situated at Pukzing village near Marpara in the district of Aizawl district (Mamit). Legend has it that cave was carved out of the hills with the help of only a hair pin by a very strong man called Mualzavata.
Milu Puk: In the Mizo language, puk means a cave. Situated near Mamte village over 100 kms, from Lunglei town, the Milu Puk, which is a large cave, was found many years ago to contain heaps of human skeletons.
Kungawrhi Puk: Another cave in Aizawl district, it is situated on a hill between Farkawn and Vaphai Villages. According to the folktales, a beautiful young girl by the name of Kungawrhi was abducted and kept confined in the forlorn cave by some evil spirits when she was on her way to her husband's village. Kungawrhi, however, was later rescued by her husband from the prison of the spirits.
Lamsial Puk: Sitiuated near Farkawn village in Aizawl (Champhai) district, the cave as a silent testimony to a battle between two neighboring villages in which many lost their lives. The bodies of the fighters from village Lamsial are said to have been kept in the cave.
Sibuta Lung: Erected about three hundreds years ago by a tribal chief, this memorial stone is named after him. The memorial offers a story of jilted love and lust for revenge. Having been rejected by a girl he fell headlong in love with, Sibuta went mad for revenge and decided to raise a memorial to himself in a manner which displayed an insane mind. A huge rock awash with the blood of three people sacrificed by Sibuta was carried over a distance of 10 km from the Tlawng river. Darlalpuii, a beautiful young girl, was crushed alive in a pit dug to erect the mausoleum. The memorial was raised over Darlai who lost her life under weight of the stone.
Phulpui Grave: A tale of love and tragedy also hangs by this grave located at Phulpui village in Aizawl District. Tualvungi, a raging beauty in her time, was married to Zawlpala, the Phulpui chief. She was later forced by circumstances to marry Phuntia, chief of another village. But Tualvungi could not forget her first love. She came to Phulpui years after Zawlpala's death, hah a pit dug by the side of his grave and persuaded an old woman to kill and bury there.
Mangkhai Lung: A large memorial stone, it was erected about three hundred years ago at Champhai to the memory of a well-known Ralte chief, Mangkhaia.
Chhingpuii Memorial: Raised to the memory of a young woman called Chhingpuii who was exceedingly beautiful, it is situated between Baktawng and Chhingchhip villages on the Aizawl - Lunglei Road. Chhingpuii, born to an aristocratic family, selected Kaptluanga as her husband from among her many suitors. But her happiness was short-lived, as a war broke out afterwards. Chhingpuii was abducted and killed. A grief-stricken Kaptluanga took his own life. The stone memorial reminds one of the legendary love stories of Chhingpuii and Kaptluanga.
Suangpuilawn Inscriptions: A stone slab lie by a stream at Suangpuilawn village in Aizawl district with strange words inscribed on it. The inscription remains to be deciphered till date. However, it is believed that the inscriptions were done by some people who inhabited the area in ancient times.
Budha's Image: An engraved image of Lord Buddha, with those of dancing girls on either side, was found at a site near Mualcheng Village about 50 km from Lunglei town. The site also has another stone slab on which some human footmarks and a few implements like spearhead and Dao are engraved. The area is close to the Chittagong Hill Tracts which was under which the Buddhist influence a few centuries ago. It is assumed that some visiting Buddhists from the Hill Tracts were responsible for the Buddha engraving.
Thangliana Lung: Captian T.H.Lewin was one of the first Englishmen to come to Mizoram. The District Commissioner of the Chittagong Hills Tracts, who entered Mizoram by way of Demagiri (Tlabung) in 1865, became so popular with the local tribesmen that as a mark of respect, he was called Thangliana which meant 'greatly famous'. He lived with the Mizos for nine years and authored the first Lushai book. His memorial stone at Demagiri remains as evidence of the extent of his popularity with the Mizos.
Pangzawl - Pangzawl village of Lunglei district is associated with the tragic folklore of Chawngungi. She was a very beautiful girl sought for, by all young men. But her mother demanded a very high bride price which could not be afforded by anyone. Ultimately, the Chief's son, Sawngkhara, won her by using a magic drug. However, she died soon after the marriage. Sawngkhara lived the rest of his life mourning the death of his beautiful, young wife.
Tomb of Vanhimailian - Vanhimailian Sailo was a great chief who ruled over Champhai. A tomb was erected in his memory overlooking the vast Champhai plain.
Tualchang Near Tualchang village in the eastern part of Aizawl district, there is a row of stone slabs. The largest of the rocks is 3m wide 1m thick and 4.5m high. It is the biggest monolith in the state.
Eastern Villages Some of the eastern villages of Aizawl district are associated with stories of a great war between the Lushais and the pawis.
Lungvandawt Lungvandawt means a stone reaching heaven. A very tall beautiful chiselled pillar made of stone about 75cm in diameter and 3m in height is found between Biate and Lungdar in the eastern part of Aizawl district. The story goes that in ancient times this stone pillar was very tall, almost touching heaven and hence nothing could go in between. Once a peacock squeezed into it and got crumbled into pieces. It appears that this probably was a very tall memorial stone of a chief of the Biate tribe who was resident of the area before the Lushais came and defeated the Biates who mostly went down to the plains of Cachar to settle there.
Khawnglung Run Khawnglung village, situated in Lunglei, district near its border with Aizawl district was crucial in the famous north-south war of Mizoram.
Thansiama Sena Neihna This literally means, a place where a man called Thansiama saw the calf of a mithun. There is a barren hill top, about 2000 meters high, near Chawnglui village in Aizawl district, near Burma border. The top of the hill has a beautiful flat land but it is almost inaccessible because of the steep hill.
Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary
The Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in South-Western Mizoram. It is close to Indo-Myanmar and Indo-Bangladesh border. The total area of the Sanctuary is 110 Sq. Km. and ranges in altitude from 200m to about 1200m msl. The wild animals found in this Sanctuary are Tiger, Clouded leopard, Elephant, Guar, Barking deer, Sambar, Wild boar, Hoolock Gibbon, Rhesus macaque, Leaf monkey, Common langur, etc.
Khawnglung Wildlife Sanctuary
The Khawnglung Wildlife Sanctuary is situated approximately 170 km from Aizawl. It covers an area of about 35 Sq. Km. and ranges in altitude from 400m to 1300m. Animals commonly found here are Wild boars etc.
Lengteng Wildlife Sanctuary
The Lengteng Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Eastern part of Mizoram adjacent to Murlen National Park. The approximate area of the Sanctuary is 60 Sq. Km. and ranges in altitude from 400m to about 2300m above msl. Within this park is the second highest Peak in Mizoram. The important wild animals and birds found in this Sanctuary are Tiger, Leopard, Sambar, Ghoral, Serrow, Hume's Bartailed Pheasant, Kaleej Pheasant, Barking deer, Wild boar, Hoolock gibbon, Rhesus macaque, etc.
Thorangtlang Wildlife Sanctuary
The Thorangtlang Wildlife Sanctuary is situated approximately 240 km from Aizawl via Thenzawl village in the Western Part of Mizoram and is adjacent of Dampa. The Sanctuary acts as a corridor for elephants which migrate from Bangladesh. The area of this Sanctuary is 50 Sq. Km. Important animals found in this Sanctuary are Tiger, Leopard, Hoolock gibbon, Leaf Monkey, Sambar, Barking Deer, and variety of Birds, etc.
Phawngpui National Park
The Phawngpui National Park is situated in South Eastern Mizoram adjacent to Myanmar border. The highest peak in Mizoram, the Phawngpui (2360m) is located within this Park. The total area of the Park is 50 Sq. Km. The important wild animals and birds found in this Park are Ghoral, Serrow, Barking deer, Sambar, Leopard, Blyth's tragopan, Kaelej Pheasant, Hoolock Gibbon, Common Langur, Rhesus macaque, Stump tail macaque and variety of birds and orchids.
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