Capital of Mizoram, Aizwal is situated at 3715 feet from the sea level between Tlawng River Valley in the west and Tuirial River valley in the East. Aizwal is the largest city of Mizoram, the youngest state of India.
Mizoram is a hilly state which was formerly known as Lushai hills. No wonder, Aizwal, its capital, is surrounded by mountains and dense forest. Till 1972, Mizoram was considered as a district of Assam.
Aizwal is the political and cultural center of the Mizos, a mongoloid race. Mizo is the collective name of various tribes: Lushais, Pawis, Paithes, Raltes, Pang, Himars, and Kukis etc. “Mi” means man and “Zo” means mountain or cold. The neighboring people considered them as tough people from the cold mountains. Most of the Mizos are now converted to Christianity and English is their language of communication but the Mizo language is still widely spoken.
Mizos may have converted into Christians but they celebrate their traditional festivals. One of their major festivals is Chapachar Kut; the celebration for crop cultivation by clearing the forest. There are various popular dances such as Khuallam, the dance to welcome visitors and guests; the Chheih Lam, done at the end of the day; and Cheraw, also known as the bamboo dance, is the most popular dance in Mizoram.
Aizwal is not highly modernized but for nature lovers and eco-tourists this city has a lot to offer. Below are brief descriptions of some of the major tourist spots of Aizwal:
- Mizoram State Museum: Although small but it contains many artifacts and objects related to the culture of the Mizos. It is closed on Saturday and Sunday.
- Bora Bazar: If you enjoy shopping then this is the right place for you. Various local handicrafts can be found here.
- The Weaving Centre: This is famous for its beautiful shawls.
- Luangmual Handicrafts Centre: Famous for its beautiful bamboo hats named, Khumbou. The handicrafts center is 7 kilometers away from Aizwal.
- Tamdil: It is the largest lake of Mizoram. It is also a fishing firm. For the beautiful sceneries it is also used as a picnic spot.
- Champai: For trekkers this is an ideal place during spring.
- Dampa: A wild life sanctuary occupying over 572 sqare kilometers and home to various animals like tigers, elephants, bears, bisons and deer.
- Vantawang: It is the biggest and most beautiful fall in Mizoram.
- Phawangpui: It is the highest peak in Mizoram and also known as “Blue Mountain.”
- Lunglei: It is the second largest town in Mizoram. It is famous for its beautiful landscape.
- Saiha: It is situated 360 kilometers south of Aizwal, by bus it would take a day.
- Lake Palak: A lake which is according to the local legend is the home of a mythical serpent wearing a crown. This is an ideal spot for angling.
- Twai: A wild life sanctuary situated on 140 kilometers east of Aizwal.
The Lengpui Airport in Aizwal has regular flights to other cities of India. The railway station is situated in Assam. By road, Aizwal is also connected to Shillong and Guahati and other parts of India.
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