2019 – Posted in: STATE SERIES – Tags: Assam, Manipur

MIZORAM

Mizoram

Mizoram has endless variety of landscape, hilly terrains, meandering streams deep gorges, rich wealth of flora and fauna.

Mizoram is a mountainous region which became the 23rd State of the Union in February 1987. It was one of the districts of Assam till 1972 when it became Union Territory.

Capital	Aizawl
Date of Formation	Feburary 1987
State Border	Assam, Tripura, Manipur
International Border	Myanmar, Bangladesh
Number of Districts	08
Highest Point	Phawngpui (Blue Mountain)
State Animal	Serow (Saza)
State Bird	Hume’s Bartailed Pheaasant (Vavu)
State Flower	Dancing Girl (Aiting)
State Tree	Mesual Ferrea/ Nahar (Herhse)
Longest River	Tlawng (also known as Dhaleswari or Katakhal)
Rivers	Tlawng, Tut (Gutur), Tuirial (Sonai), Tuivawl, Barak, Koldoyne (Chhimtuipui), Karnaphuli (Khawthlang tuipui)
Festivals	Mizos practice what is known as “jhum cultivation” Mim Kut Pawl Kut Chapchar Kut
Clothings	The original garments of the Mizos is known as Puan. Common Puan are: Puanchel, Kawechel, Ngotekherh, Hmar Am, Cyhna Hno.
Wildlife sanctuary	Dampa Tiger Reserve Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary Khawnglung Wildlife sanctuary Lengteng Wildlife sanctuary Tawi Wildlife sanctuary Thorangtlang Wildlife sanctuary Pualreng Wildlife sanctuary Tokalo Wildlife sanctuary
National Park	Murlen National Park Phawngpui National Park
Waterfall	Vantawang Falls
Caves	Khuangchera Puk, Lamsai Puk, Far Puk, Pukzing Puk, Tluangtea Puk
Tribes	Chakma, Garo, Hajong, Lakher, Mikir, Synteng
Tourist Place	Blue Mountain, Pukzing Cave, Milu Puk, Lamsai Puk, Kungawrhi Puk, Sibuta Lung, Phulpui Grave, Chhingpuii Memorial, Mangkhai Lung, Budha’s Image, Suangpuilawan Inscriptions, Thangliana Lung
Lakes	Palak, Tamdil, Rungdil and Rengdil

The People

Historian believe that the Mizos are a part of the great wave of the great wave of the Mongolian race spilling over into the eastern and southern India centuries ago.

Their sojourn in Western Burma, into which they eventually around seventh century, is estimated to last about two centuries.
They came under the influence of the British Missionaries in the 9th century, and now most of the Mizos are Christians.
One of the beneficial result of Missionary activities was the spread of education.
The Missionaries introduced the Roman script for the Mizo language and formal education.
The cumulative result is high percentage 95 % ( as per National Sample Survey 1997-98) which is considered to be highest in India.
The Mizos area distinct community and the social unit was the village. Around it revolved the life of a Mizo.
Mizo Village is usually set on the top of a hill with the chief’s house at the centre and the bachelor’s dormitory called Zawlbuk, prominently .
In a way the focal point in the village was the Zawlbuk where all young bachelors of the village slept.
Zawlbuk was the training ground, and indeed, the cradle wherein the Mizo youth was shaped into a responsibility adult member of the society.

Music

The drum and the gong are two traditional musical instrument of the Mizos.
The flute is another, though it is no longer much in use.
There was another musical instrument which was made by inserting hollow reeds into gourds.
Blowing through one reed produced a tune. That instrument has fallen completely in disuse.
The usual Mizo drum, made of a hollowed tree trunk covered with fine on either side, is ‘about a foot in diameter and two feet in length’.
The gongs, which came in various sizes mostly from Myanmar, are expensive brassware.
Sometimes three gongs, each having a separate note are beaten simultaneously to produce fine musical tunes.
The gay and cheerful mood of the Mizos expresses itself through their love for music.
“Shakespeare, called music ‘the food of love’ and asked for ‘the excess of it’. If music be the food of love/play on, play on/and give me excess of it’ The Mizos would be happy to ‘play on’ and offer the immortal poet ‘the excess of their music.

Customs

Although Christianity brought about a near – total transformation in the Mizo lifestyle and outlook some customary laws have stayed on. 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 encouragement so are some other customs and community traditions.

Bride Price

The Mizos are not alone in putting a price on a bride. This custom is a prevalent in a few other Indian Communities as well. When a Mizo boy approaches his fiancee’s parents for permission to get married, the first thing he has to do is to settle the bride price. If the price among other things, demanded by him, is acceptable to the parents, the boy and the girl are allowed to get married. Thus the settlement of the bride price to be paid by the bridegroom is an essential pre-requisite to a Mizo marriage.

It so generally happens that part of the bride price which may be paid on the eve of the wedding, while the part of bride price called ‘Thutphah’ is held back over the years as a sort of security of paying off the debts fall on the next generation. In case of the death of a husband, his son is obliged to pay the bride price.

The principal bride price is known as Manpui the rate which is (mentioned in terms of mithun or sial) Rs 80/- per unit. Besides, there are subsidiary bride prices like sumhmahruai (rate Rs 20/-) and sumfang (Rate Rs 8/-) These prices are to be paid to the bride’s father or brother. Pusum, the rate of which varies from rs 4/- to Rs 10/- is payable to the nearest relation on the side of the bride’s mother who most often than not turns out to be the maternal uncle of the bride. An equivalent amount, known as Ni-ar, is paid to the bride’s paternal aunt as well.

However, it would be a mistake to continue bride price with sale or dowry. For all those who get a share of it come under a special obligation to look after the welfare and interest of the bride.

Mautam Famine

In 1959, Mizo Hills was devastated by a great famine known in Mizo history as ‘Mautam Famine’ .
The cause of the famine was attributed to flowering of bamboos which consequent resulted in rat population boom in large numbers.
After eating up bamboos seeds, the rats turned towards crops and infested the huts and houses and became a plaque to the Villages.
The havoc created by the rats was terrible and very little of the grain was harvested.
For sustenance, many Mizos had to collect roots and leaves from the jungles.
Others moved out to far away places edible roots and leaves from the jungles.
Others moved out to far away places while a considerable number died of starvation.
In his hour of darkness, many welfare organization tried their best to help starving villagers to facilitate supplies to the remove villages, no organised porters, animal transport to carry the air-drop food supplies.
Earlier in 1955, Mizo Cultural Society was formed in 1955 and Laldenga was its Secretary.
In March 1960, the name of the Mizo Cultural Society was changed to ‘Mautam front’ During the famine of 1959-1960, this society took lead in demanding relief and managed to attract the attention of all sections of the people.
In September 1960, the Society adopted the name of Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF).
The MNFF gained considerable popularity as a large number of Mizo Youth assisted in transporting rice and other essential commodities to interior villages.

Facts

Inner Line Permit (ILP) is required for Indian citizen to enter Mizoram
Around 50% of the geographical area of Mizoram is under Bamboo cover.

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