With rolling hills covered in ancient forests of bamboo and tropical trees, interspersed with tumbling rivers, serene lakes, and vast valleys, Mizoram is a traveller's delight. Its people, from various ethnic tribes, deeply attached to their territory, mark themselves separate by the colours and motifs of their textiles. Their ancient traditions of weaving on the loin loom exist to date, and the Mizo people, especially women, are skilled weavers. In Mizo, 'puan' means cloth. Many of the puans have cultural significance too.
The textiles of Mizoram constitute one of the region's most influential art and crafts. Thenzawl, in Serchhip district, 43 km from the capital Aizwal, is often called Handloom City, with its products reaching across the country and abroad.
Such is the exclusivity of the woven textiles of Mizoram that five of the state's weaves - puanchei, hmaram, tawlhlohpuan, ngotekherh, and pawndum - have won the Geographical Indication tag. So next time you are in this picturesque state, do check out the following five.
Said to be the most colourful of the Mizo puan, it is worn wrapped around the waist to cover the lower part of the body. It is a popular costume seen at festive ceremonies and traditional dances. It is also part of a Mizo woman's trousseau.Usually, two pieces of woven cloth are delicately sewn together to form one complete Puan. Mizo Puanchei is woven in three pieces with the middle being the narrowest and many traditional designs are incorporated into it.
The oldest patterned weave of the Lusei tribe, the hmaram is a narrow weave. It is used as a wraparound skirt, by women, during festive dances and official ceremonies. The motifs on hmaram are derived from the flora of Mizoram.
A tough puan to weave, the tawlhlopuan, meaning "to stand firm or not move backward," is said to have been first woven by the wife of a warrior named Darhnawka from Hualngo village as a special request from her husband. Ever since, the textile became a symbol of courage among Mizo warriors. Tawlhlohpuan used to be draped on the warriors in the Kawrtawnghak style of draping.
This popular traditional cloth of the Mizo people is woven on a loin loom. This particular puan consists of a white background with black stripes on it. According to some weavers, one of its yardsticks is that the chequered pattern must be uniform such that each check must be a perfect square.
A textile deeply integrated into the cultural life of the Mizo people, the Pawndum is said to have various uses. According to a dictionary published in 1940 by a pioneering missionary, J Herbert Lorrain, it means 'a dark blue cloth worn by Lushais'. In his book, Lianhmingthanga, Senior Research Officer, Tribal Research Institute, Government of Mizoram, said it is worn by young men during their stay in the Zawlbuk. Pawndum is also worn as part of the attire during the traditional dance Khuallam. It is also part of the Zawlpuan (special dowry) of a Mizo girl, which she has to weave and carry to her husband's home. The Pawndum may also be used as a shroud.
Getting there: State capital Aizawl is connected to Kolkat, Guwahati and other places by air. The airport is about 30km from the main city. By road, the city is connected with the neighbouring states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura.
The Mizoram State Museum in Aizawl is a good place to learn about the hisotry and culture of the Mizo people. You will find many of the weaves in the Textile Gallery. The museum is open on all days except Sundays and government holidays; timings vary according to days and summer/winter.