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Tourism Places In Mizo
The hilly city Aizawl located nearly 4,000 feet above sea-level, is a religious
and cultural centre of Mizoram where indigeneous handicrafts are also available.
Champhai is a beautiful resort on the Myanmar border. Tamdil a natural lake with
virgin forest is 60 km from Aizawl and 10 km from tourist resort of Saitual, Vantawng
falls, five km from hill station Thezawl, are the highest and most beautiful waterfalls
in Mizoram. The department of tourism has opened Tourist Lodge at Aizawl,
Lunglei, Champhai and wayside restaurant at Thingdawl, Hnahthial, recreational centre
at Beraw Tiang and Alpine picnic hut at District Park near Zobawk.
Mizoram is one of the seven northeastern states of India, bordered by Myanmar
(formerly known as Burma) to the east and south, Bangladesh to the west, and by
the states of Manipur, Assam, and Tripura to the north. Mizoram means . Land of
the Highlanders. in the local language, Mizo. The Mizo Hills, which dominate the
state's topography, rise to more than 2000 m (6560 ft) near the Myanmar border.
Aizawl, the state capital, is 1220 m (4000 ft) above sea level.
An amalgam of the former north and south Lushai hill districts, Mizoram is a land
of great natural beauty, an endless variety of landscape with rich flora and fauna,
clusters of whispering pines and quaint villages with houses on stilts.
The Tropic of Cancer runs through the heart of Mizoram, and hence, it has a pleasantly
temperate climate throughout the year. A land of steep hills and deep gorges, Mizoram's
highest peak 'The Blue Mountain' rises to a height of 2165 metres. Important rivers
that flow through this hilly state are Tlawang, Sonai, Tuivawl, Kolodine and Kamaphuli.
Mizoram has a single-chamber Legislative Assembly of 40 seats. The state sends two
members to the Indian national parliament: one to the Rajya Sabha (upper house)
and one to the Lok Sabha (lower house). The state has eight districts.
History
Little is known of Mizoram's early history. Between 1750 and 1850 the Mizo (formerly
called Lushai) tribes migrated from the nearby Chin Hills and subjugated the indigenous
population; these similar tribes were assimilated into their own society. The Mizo
developed an autocratic political system based on some 300 hereditary chieftanships.
The tribes of Mizoram remained unaffected by foreign political influence until the
British annexed Assam in 1826 under the Treaty of Yandabo. During the next decades,
Mizo raids into British territory led to occasional punitive expeditions by the
British. Although not formally annexed until the early 1890s, the region had come
under British control two decades earlier.
For the first few years after the British annexation, Lushai hills in the north
remained under Assam while the southern half remained under Bengal. Both these parts
were amalgamated in 1898 into one district called Lushai Hills District under the
Chief Commissioner of Assam. With the implementation of the North-Eastern Reorganisation
Act in 1972, Mizoram became a Union Territory and as a sequel to the signing of
the historic memorandum of settlement between Government of India and the Mizo National
Front in 1986, it was granted statehood on 20 February 1987.
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Society and Culture
The Mizos are divided into several tribes - the Lushais, Pawis, Paithes, Raltes,
Pang, Himars, Kukis etc. Society is based largely around tribal villages. The chief's
house and the zawlbuk (community house for young, single men) are the focus of village
life. Mizo and English are the official languages. The literacy rate in Mizoram
is about 82 percent, one of the highest in India. More than 80 percent of the population
are Christians; the great majority are Protestants who were converted by missionaries
during the 19th century. There are Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu minorities. The nomadic
Chakmas practice a combination of Hinduism, Buddhism, and animism (the worship of
nature deities and other spirits).
Though mostly Christians, the hill people have kept alive their rich cultural heritage,
colourful customs and lively traditions. An interesting tradition amongst the Mizos
is the code of Ethics which revolves around tlawmngaihna, an untranslatable term
which means that every Mizo is duty bound to be hospitable, kind, unselfish and
helpful to the poor and needy.
Festivals and dances of the Mizos have a unique tribal flavour. Other than Christmas
and New Year's Day which are the most popular festivals, Chapchar Kut (after clearing
of jungles for cultivation of the jhum crop in February-March), Pawl Kut (after
the harvests when the granary is full in December) and Mim Kut (dedicated to departed
souls after the maize harvest in September), are the other occasions celebrated
with much gusto. The most popular dances of Mizoram are Cheraw (Bamboo dance), Khuallam
(dance for visitors or guests), Chheih Lam (at the end of a day's work) and Solakar
or Sarlamkai (prevalent among the Mara and Pawl tribes).
Economy and Infrastructure
About three-quarters of the population of Mizoram earn their living from agriculture.
Both terraced cultivation and jhum (shifting) tillage (in which tracts are cleared
by burning and sown with mixed crops) are practiced. The greater number of people
farming has reduced the traditional eight-year jhum cycle, and there has been an
accompanying decline in yields.
Mizoram is famous for the fibreless ginger. Paddy, maize, mustard, sugarcane, sesame
and potatoes are the other prominent crops grown in this area. Small-scale irrigation
projects are being developed to increase the crop yield.
There are no major industries in the state. Small-scale industries include sericulture,
handloom and handicrafts industries, sawmills and furniture workshops, oil refining,
grain milling, and ginger processing.
The state's poor transport and communications are a major obstacle to economic growth.
Although a road system is being developed, a single road links the towns of Aizawl
and Lunglei in Mizoram to Silchar in Assam. There are no railways. Vayudoot, India's
low-capacity and short-haul domestic airline, provides service from Aizawl to Silchar
and to Calcutta in West Bengal. Concerted efforts have been made to accelerate the
growth of industries in Mizoram. The new industrial policy of Mizoram was framed
in 1989, under which some priority industries were identified. These include agro
and forest based industries, handloom and handicrafts, electronics and consumer
industries. With the opening up of border trade, the state would be able to be a
major business hub.
Hotels of Mizoram
The State has hotels of star and non star category catering to the needs of the
tourists visiting Mizoram. Besides it has resorts, restaurants and cafés which cater
to the needs of all segment of travelers.
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