Serchhip

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Serchhip | type = town | latd = 23.3 | longd = 92.83
locator_position = left | state_name = Mizoram
district = Serchhip
leader_title =
leader_name =
altitude = 888
population_as_of = 2002
population_total = 19,185| population_density = 33
area_magnitude= sq. km
area_total =
area_telephone = 0913838
postal_code = 796181
vehicle_code_range = MZ 06
sex_ratio =
unlocode =
website =
footnotes =

Serchhip is a census town in Serchhip district in the Indian state of Mizoram. It has the highest literacy all over India

Geography

Serchhip is located at coord|23.3|N|92.83|E| [ [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/31/Serchhip.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Serchhip] ] . It has an average elevation of 888 metres (2913 feet).

Demographics

As of 2001 India census [GR|India] , Serchhip had a population of 18,185. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Serchhip has an average literacy rate of approximately 100%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 100%, and female literacy is 99%. In Serchhip, 16% of the population is under 6 years of age. The district is the highest literate distrcit in India .

Tourism

The district consists of number of towns and villages lying around Serchhip. Thenzawl is the second biggest town after Serchhip. It is one of the few flat area with beautiful grassy landscape. Nearby Thenzawl is a spectacular waterfall called Vantawng Khawhthla(meaning "Heaven's reaching fall"!). This beautiful stepped fall is easily accessible by road, and it is a place where one can hear the calling of nature silently.

Vantawng Khawhthla
The most famous waterfall in Mizoram, Vantawng Falls is situated about 4 km away in the south of Thenzawl (Sub-division) at Lau River. The height of this water falls is roughly measure to be about 220 m.

The artistic design like seven rounded storey cliff of this falls is very attractive. It was said that Vantawnga was a great swimmer who was supposed to have lived in a nearby village who could swim upwards to the falls when the volume of the water was at its peak.

When the Ngawidawh people urged him to swim upwards of the falls again, a large log carried by the flood had hit him and died at the spot. As such, the falls was called after his name.

It was also said that the Mualthuam sub-clan who had once settled in Mizoram believed and worshipped the spirit of this water fall.

It is one of the most attractive spot in Mizoram, and it used to have a hundreds of visitors every year. It's about 24 km away from the headquarter town of Serchhip.----

Thlanro
"Word Meaning: Thlan - Tomb; Ro - Treasure."

One of the Mizo legendary lyrics has been put forwarded by the late Pu Laitoa :-

"Kawlngo lo leng khawtlang a chuan, Suihlung leng in Rihtlang lam chuan ka nuam e, Ngur dawntuaite, KEILAMI tual lenna"

Keilami was a young beautiful daughter of the Mizo Chief Sangviala Sailo of Sialhau Village who had died at the age of 20 leaving a deep attachment to her father. As was deeply trunked, Sangviala Sailo erected an attractive tomb in memory of her daughter Keilami at Sialhau.

The Cone-like tomb was constructed by lying of similar size of well-processed stone. It had no any post to keep the wall and the roof stands straight. This clearly reveals that the ancient Mizo artisans were very high in artistic design and skill. The dimensions of the tomb is approximately 13 ft long, 8 ft wide and the height is 7 ft.----

Zoluti Hriatrengna Lung
"Word meaning: Hratrengna - Memory; Lung - Stone."

It could be presumed that Mary Winchester (ZOLUTI, as called by the Mizos), taken as captive on 23.1.1871 by Mizo Chief Bengkhuaia of Kawlri was a root of Christianity in Mizoram. The spot, most of the writers and historians accepted to be the place where Zoluti was handed over to the British Official on 21.1.1972 is "AW-A MUAL" at Kawlri Tlang near Serchhip Kawnpui.

In this place the Kristian Thalai Pawl (Christian Youth Fellowship), Serchhip Vengchung Branch had erected a stone on 5.1.1994 in memory of Zoluti, daughter of Dr. Winchester, a manager in one of the Assam Tea Garden.

However, the place was a historical agenda which had since long been debated between writers, historians and the peoples of Sailam, Serchhip and Thenzawl. Till today, the question seems like an unsettled mysterious.

The army column called The Lushai Expeditionary Force (Vailian Pahnihna) specially entrusted to bring back the white maid Zoluti was commanded by Lt. Col. T. H. Lewin, the Mizos named him Pu Thangliana, who wrote the book "A fly of the Wheel", in which he put the following lines:-

"...She (Zoluti) appeared, during her long stay with her kidnapper to have altogether forgotten English Language, but on the officer fumbling in his pocket, and demanding whether she would like to have a sweet, her memory at once responded to and she held out her hand, showing that she understood what had been said." -(page 277, A fly on the Wheel)"

----

Chhingpuii Thlan
"Word meanings: Thlan - Tomb; Nl - Abbv. of Nula (Unmarried woman), Tv - Tlangval (Unmarried man)"

Chhingchhip Branch YMA had erected a stone in memory of Nl Chhingpuii at about 4 km north of Chhingchhip just above the Indian National Highway - 54.

Nl Chhingpuii (of Ruanzawl sub-Village) was known for her beauty. They were in deep attachment with Tv Kaptluanga. Meanwhile, Lalnawta, son of a village council elder, also loved her, but could not win her heart and then tried to revenge upon her lover. He made the evil spirit get inside Kaptluanga and he began seriously ill and could not move out at all.

Even after that a love feeling inside Chhingpuii did not fade away. When she set out to her daily routine of going to Lo (jhum or farm) also, if she went along with other bachelors, she afraid that her lover, Kaptluanga's heart would have inflamed. So, she used to set off to lo along with an old man Ralteawmkhauha.

It was on that very morning she was caught by the enemies (during that time the second most famous civil war, Chhak leh Tlang Indo, East and West War 1877 - 1880 was going on) and she died at the hands of her Captors, led by Thangzika (of Tachhip Village), though she had pleaded vehemntly to save her life.----

Buangpui is a village lying along the Aizawl-Lunglei "via" Thenzawl road. Neihloh is another village at about 10 km from Buangpui. Zakuala Sailo used to rule in this village during the chieftienship period before the British abolished this tradition of the Mizo nation.

External links

* [http://www.serchhip.com Serchhip Web-Portal]
* [http://www.ramnieng.com Serchhip Daily Newspaper Online]
* [http://www.serchhipmzp.org Serchhip MZP Official Website]

----

Related Links

* [http://www.khampat.com Mizo Web-Portal]

References