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Today there are lots of Mizo people living all over the world acchieveing great heights and occupying important places in the government, private and public sectors
Area: 21,087 Sq Kms
N-S: 277 Kms
E-W:121 Kms
Inter State Border :
(a) With Assam - 123 Kms
(b) With Tripura - 66 Kms
(c) with Manipur - 95 Kms
International Border :
(a) With Myanmar - 404 Kms
(b) With Bangladesh - 318 Kms
Temperature: 11o - 21o C in winter / 20o - 32o C in summer
Average rainfall : 250 per annum
Population (Census 2001): 8,91,058
Female = 4,31,275
Male = 4,59,783
Sex Ratio: 938 female per 1000 male
Capital: Aizawl
Literacy: 88.49 (Second Highest in the country, 2001)
No. of Assembly Constituency: 40 (more ...)
No of Seat in Parliament: 1 each in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha
District: 8 Block: 26 Sub - Division: 23 Autonomous District Council: 3
Important symbols/places:
State Animal: Serow (Saza)
State Bird: Hume's Bartailed Pheasant (Vavu)
State Flower : Dancing Girl (Aiting)
State Tree: Mesual Ferrea/Nahar (Herhse)
Longest River: Tlawng 185.15 Kms
Biggest River : Chhimtuipui (Kolodyne) [originates from eastern Myanmar, flows through
Chhimtuipui District and drains itself into Bay of Bengal near Myanmar.]
Highest Point: Phawngpui (Blue Mountain) 2,210/2065 M
Biggest lake : Palak Dil (Pala Tipo)
FESTIVALS:
Mizos practice what is known as ‘Jhum Cultivation’. They slash down the jungle, burn the trunks and leaves and cultivate the land. All their other activities revolve around the jhum operations and their festivals are all connected with such agriculture operations.
1.Mim Kut:
*August-September.
*in the wake of harvesting of the maize crop
*celebrated with great gaiety and merriment expressed through singing, dancing, feasting and drinking of home made rice beer- zu.
*Dedicated to the memory of their dead relatives, the festival is underlined by a spirit of thanksgiving and remembrance of the years first harvest is placed as an offering on a raised platform built to the memory of the dead.
2.Pawl Kut:
*Harvest Festival- December to January.
*a mood of thanksgiving is evident, because the difficult task of titling and harvesting is over.
*Community feasts are organised and dances are performed. Mothers with their children sit on memorial platform and feed one another. This custom, which is also performed during Chapchar Kut, is known as 'Chawnghnawt'.
*Drinking of zu is also part of the festival. The two-day is followed by a day of complete rest when no one goes out to work.
3.Chapchar Kut:
Of all the Kuts of the Mizo, Chapchar Kut has emerged as the most popular and enjoyable, owing perhaps to the humorous stories of its origin and the favourable time when the festival is observed-Spring !
DANCES:
1 KHUALLAM:
*means 'Dance of the Guests'.
*usually performed in the ceremony called 'Khuangchawi'.
*In order to claim a distinguished place in the society and to have a place in paradise or Pialral one has to attain the coveted title of 'Thangchhuah'. There are two ways of attaining this title.
i. by proving one's mettle in war or in hunting by killing many animals which should include animals like barking,deer, wild boar, bear, wild gayal, viper, hawk etc.
ii. by performing feats and dances (Khuangchawi.)Thangchhuah therefore could be attained only by the brave or by the rich.
*traditional hand woven Mizo cloth known as PUANDUM (black, red, yellow and green stripes) is wrapped over the shoulders and the dance is performed by swaying the cloth.
*Puandum is an indispensable item which every girl has to take along with when she gets married. It is used when her husband dies to cover the dead body.
(Khuallam Video- Khuallam)
2. CHERAW:
*It is believed that the dance had already existed way back in the 1st Century A.D., while the Mizos were still somewhere in the Yunan Province of China, before their migration into the Chin Hills in the 13th Century A.D., and eventually to the present Mizoram.
*Men sitting face to face on the ground tap long pairs of horizontal and cross bamboo staves open and close in rhythmic beats.
*Girls in colorful Mizo costumes of 'Puanchei', 'Kawrchei'. Vakiria' and 'Thihna' dance in and out between the beats of bamboo.
(Cheraw Video- Cheraw)
3. SARLAMKAI/SOLAKIA:
*originating from the Pawi and Mara communities in the southern part of Mizoram.
*Lushais referred to it as 'Rallu Lam'.
*performed to ensure that the vanquished soul remains a slave to the victor even when the latter also dies. (beheaded skull of the enemy was usually held by the victor.)
*The derision ceremony usually lasts for 5(five) days:
i.the first 2 (two) days is spent in merry-making, singing alongside drinks and a non-vegetarian feast.
ii.the third day a pig is slaughtered and he victor paints his whole body with the animal's blood, which he only washes off on the evening of the fourth day or on the morning of the fifth day.
iii.During this 5(five) days period, the victor is not to sleep with any women.
*If he does so, the vanquished soul is believed to be infuriated and cause upon the victor, a permanent disability
4. CHAILAM:
*performed on the occasion of 'Chapchar Kut'
*men and women stand alternatively in circles, with the women holding on to the waist of the man, and the man on the women's shoulder.
*In the middle of the circle are the musicians who play the drums and the mithun's horn.
*For the dance to start, the drummer beats on the drum, and upon the fourth stroke of the drum the chai song is sung with the rhythmic swaying of the dancers to the left and right, in accordance with beats of the drum.
*has four versions:
'Chai Lamthai I,
'Chai Lamthai II,
Chai Lamthai III
'Chai Lamthai IV'.
LEGEND: Once a king and his men went out for hunting. Unfortunately, they failed miserably and had to be contended without a kill.
The king, then seeing the utter disappointment of his men, rose to the occasion and consoles them by inviting them for a drink of rice beer at his palace. On being intoxicated by the drinks, the party then culminated by singing and dancing followed by a sumptuous feast.
Since then, every year, the community continues to enliven the memory of this occasion be celebrating it with various entertainment programs, thus giving rise to one of the most important festivals of the Mizos, the 'Chapchar Kut'.
5. CHAWNGLAIZAWN:
*Popular dance of Pawi.
*performed in two different occasions:
(i) by a husband to mourn the death of his wife.
The husband would be continuously performing this dance till he gets tired. Friends and relatives would relieve him and dance on his behalf. This signifies that they mourn with the bereaved.
(ii) on festivals and also to celebrate trophies brought home by successful hunters.
*Shawls are used to help the movement of the arms.
(Chawnglaizawn video - Chawnglaizawn )
6. CHHEIHLAM:
*originated after the year 1900 on the lines of the songs known as 'Puma Zai' and the dance known as 'Tlanglam'.
*embodies the spirit of joy and exhilaration.
*performed to the accompaniment of a song called 'Chheih hla'.
*People squat around in a circle on the floor, sing to the beat of a drum or bamboo tube while a pair of dancers stand in the middle, recite the song and dance along with the music.
(Chheihlam Video - Chheihlam)
7. TLANGLAM:
*performed throughout the length and breadth of the State.
*Using music of Puma Zai, there have been several variations of the dance.
*Both sexes take part in this dance.
(Tlanglam Video - Tlanglam )
8.ZANGTALAM:
*a popular Paihte dance performed by men and women.
*the dancers sing responsive song.
*A drummer is a leader and director of the dance.
*The duration of the dance depends on the drummer.
ANIMALS:
Major Animals found in Mizoram:
Rhino (Rhinoceros sonadaicus) : Samak.
Sambar (Cervus unicolor) : Sazuk.
Barking Deer (Muntiacus Muntjak) : Sakhi.
Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) : Sanghal.
Indian Bison (Bos gaurus) : Ramsial.
Serow (Capricornis sumatraensis) : Saza.
Goral (Naemorhedus goral) : Sathar.
Wild Dog (Coun alpinus) : Chinghnia.
Jackal (Vulpes bengalensis) : Sihal.
Himalayan black Bear (Ursus tibetanus) : Savawm.
Malayan Bear (Ursus Malayanus) : Samang
Sloth Bear (Ursus urinus) : Savawm.
Hog Badger (Arctonis collaris): Phivawk.
Burmese ferret Badger (Melogale personata) : Sahmaitha.
Common Otter (Lutra lutra) : Sahram.
Small Indian Civet (Viverricula indica) : Sazaw / Tlumpui.
Bear-cat/ Binturong (Arctictis binturong) : Zamphu.
Small Indian mongoose (Herpestes javanicus) : Sarivaithun.
Tiger (Panthera tgris) : Keipui.
Leopard/ Panther (Panthera paradus) : Keite.
Clouded Leopard (Neofilis nebulosa) : Kelral.
Jungle Cat (Felis Chaus): Sauak.
Leopard cat (Felis bengalensis) : Sanghar.
Golden Cat (Felistemminckii) : Keisen.
Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) : Sai.
Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulata) : Zawng.
Assamese Macaque (Macaca Assamensis) : Zawng.
Capped Langur (Prebytis pileatus) : Ngau.
Phayres leaf monkey (Presbytsphayrei) : Dawr.
Hoolock Gibbon (Hylobates hoolock) : Hauhuk.
Indian Porcupine (Hystrix indica) : Sakuh.
Indian Pangolin (MAnis crassicaudata) : Saphu.
Malayan Giant Squirrel (Ratufa bicolor) : Awrrang.
Himalayan stripped squirrel (Callosciurus macclelandii) : Hleimualrang.
Red bellied pallas' Squirrel (Callosciurus erythraeus): Hleikapsen.
Himalayan hoary-bellied Squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus) : Hleipui meipar.
Common flying Squirrel (Petaurista petaurista) : Biang.
Indian field Mouse (Mus booduga) : Zupawl.
Common house Mouse (Mus musculus) : Zu in / Sazu.
Common house Rat (Rattus rattus) : Chaichim.
Bandicoot Rat (Banticota indica) : Chaichim.
Indian Mole Rat (Bandicota bengalensis) : Zuhrei.
Main Rivers of Mizoram:
No. Name of River Length in Kms
1 Tlawng 185.15 (Dhaleswari or Katakhal),
2 Tlau 159.39
3 Chhimtuipui (Koladyne) 138.46
4 Khawthlangtuipui (R.Karnaphuli) 128.08
5 Tuichang 120.75
6 Tuirial (Sonai) 117.53
7 Tuichawng 107.87
8 Mat 90.16
9 Tuipui 86.94
10 Tuivawl 72.45
11 Teirei 70.84
12 Tuirini 59.57
13 Serlui 56.33
Mountains in Mizoram:
No. Name of mountain Height (in metres)
1 Phawngpui (Blue Mountain) 2157
2 Lengteng 2141
3 Surtlang 1967
4 Lurhtlang 1935
5 Tan Tlang 1837
6 V.Partlang 1929
7 Chalhfilh Tlang 1865
8 Hrangturzotlang 1854
9 Zopui Tlang 1850
10 Tawizo 1837
11 Mawmrang 1812
12 Purun Tlang 1756
13 Hmuifangtlang 1619
14 Saireptlang 1555
15 Sakawrhmutuaitlang 1535
16 Reiek Tlang 1465
17 Thorang Tlang 1387.2
18 Buia Hmun Tlang 1383
19 Laipui Tlang 1188
20 South Hlimen Tlang 1179
21 Head Post Office 1067.7
22 Serkawn 1222
23 Circuit House (Lunglei) 1105.3
Visit mizoram's official web page - Mizoram
(Hmun hrang hrang atangin datas ka la khawm a; mahni ram chanchin hrechiang apiang mi zahawm an ni si a, chik taka i lo chhiar a i lo hlawkpui ve ngei ka beisei ka unau - Samuel Lalrozama Hmar)
