MIZO LUNGPHUN CHUNGCHANG : KAWTCHHUAH ROPUI 

(A study of Mizo Megaliths : with reference to Kawtchhuah Ropui) 

- Dr Malsawmliana 

 

 

Lungphun culture (megalithic culture) hi khawvel ram dang chu sawi loh, kan chhehvela hnamdangte – Khasi, Naga etc. te hian an ching hle a, an hnam nunphungah pawh pawimawhna a nei nasa hle nghe nghe a ni. Keini Mizo te ai mah hian a bik takin Khasi ho chuan an nunphungah awmzia an neih tir nasa niin a lang a, chuvangin lungphun hi an uar a, ngah pawh an ngah hle reng a. Heng lungphun te hi hriatrengna lungphun a nih piah lamah an chhungte thi tawh ruh dahna atan te leh thildang atan an hmang thin a ni. 

Archaeology-ah hian zirna peng hrang hrang zingah megaliths lam hi tunlaia langsar pawl tak a ni a. ‘Megaliths’ tih hi Greek tawng ‘mega’ leh ‘lithos’ atanga lak a ni a. Mega tih chu ‘lian(large)’ tih a ni a, lithos hi ‘lung’ (stone)’tihna a ni.1 Tichuan, megaliths tih chu lungphun lian sawina a ni mai a, a mal din aimahin huhova lungphun emaw phun tlar tuarh ang hi megaliths tih hian a hawi mah zawk a, a mal din (single upright stone) hi ‘monolith’ ti a sawi a ni thung. 

Megaliths (lungphun) hi khawvel hmun hrang hrangah hmuh tur a awm a, India hmarchhakah pawh hian a bikin Meghalaya ah hian a tam leh zual. Khawvelah hian Lungphun hi chi hrang hrang(types) a awm a, a phun dan a zirin hming hran an put tir vek a, chung zinga a tlanglawn te chu hengte hi a ni – 

a) Menhir – lung phun pangngai/ a tung, hei hi lung mal din a kawk deuh 

b) Alignment- hei hi a huho/a intlara lungphun sawina a ni. 

c) Stonehenge – a kuala lungphun 

d) Dolmen (table stone/stone seats) –a bawk a phun e) Cairns – lung chhun pawn (stone heaps) 

 

  Heng bakah hian phun dan chi hrang hrang a la awm nual a, mahse hengte hi a tlangpui an ni. A phun dan a zir hian a awmzia a danglam thin a, society-ah pawh an pawimawhna a inang lo bawk. Heng a chunga Type hrang hrang kan sawi atang hian Mizorama kan neih ve te han tarlang ila : 

a) Menhir – hei hi chu Mizo lungphun pangngai hi a ni a, a tung chho a phun ho hi a ni. Mizorama lungphun tam ber hi ‘Menhir’ a ni.

 b) Alignment – Lung phun tlar ho hi an ni mai a. Hmanlaiin pasaltha te hriatrengnan lung an phun tlar thin a, chung chu ‘Hranglungphun’ an ti. (eg. Tuithoh kama pasaltha Vanapa thlan an tih pawh hi lung lian vak lo phun tlar a ni.) Tin Mizoram hmarchhaka Lungphunlian pawh khi a piah deuhah khian a khat tawkin an inphun tlar hlawm bawk a. Hetianga lung phun tlar hi Alignment chu a ni. 

c) Dolmen – hei hi a bawk/tlu a phun a ni a, a hnuaiah kamtu a awm thin. Mizoramah chuan Champhai Zote tlanga ‘Sikpui Lung’ ang hi a ni. A phek zawngin leiah an phah a, a hnuaiah lungthu pathum in an kam kang a. Hetiang hi khawvel hmun dangah pawh hmuh tur tam tak a awm a, amaherawhchu an phun chhan (ideology) erawh a danglam thung. 

d) Cairns (kians ti a lam tur) – hei hi lung chhun pawn a ni a, a chung lamah a zuih ral thin. Mizoramah chuan Mara leh Lai hnam hovin an lal hriatrengnan a an phun thin ‘Pura’ ang hi a ni awm e. Pyramid ang hian a hnuai lama a arh a, a chung lamah a zuih ral thin a ni. 

e) Stone Platform :Lungdawh  Hetianga lungphun dan chi hrang hrang a awm avang leh a phun chhan pawh a inan loh nuai(h) avang hian Lungphun hlui te atang hian a phuntute chanchin leh an nunphung, an hnam chin dan te thui tak a zir theih a. Chuvangin lungphun(megaliths) hi history chhuina atana thil tangkai tak a ni reng a ni. Entirnan, Sikpui Lung chu Hmar ho kut pui khat ‘Sikpui Roui’an hman laia an phun thin a ni a, a phun dan pawh a awm thlap a ni.  

 Tin, Mizo te khan an lungphun reng rengah milem an ziak nasa hle a, ziah lohna (plain monument) pawh a awm tho bawk a. Heng milem te hi a tlangpuin Sial lu, dar lem, mihring lem, puan, sava, sakawr, silai, fei, sakhi/sazuk leh thil chi hrang hrang te an ziak/ker thin a. Thil mak ve deuh mai chu Zoram khawi hmuna mi pawh hi en ila, milem inziak a awm chuan an ziah dan kalhmang hi a inang vek mai a. Khawchhak lama Lianpui leh Vangchhia vela lungphuna mihring lem an ziah dan(style) leh khawtlang Pukzing daia lungphun te, South Sabual kawtchhuaha lungphun a mihring lem inziak te chu a inang vek a ni. Tin, Pu Rinsanga’n “heng lungphun zawng zawnga lemziakte hi a inang tlangpui a, chungte chu –mihring ding tlar lem te, thangchhuahpa lem te….etc. hnam khat kutchhuak tih a hriat hle…”2 tiin  a sawi a. A sawi ang hian Mizoram chhunga lungphunah te hian milem inziak a awm chuan mihring lem, hmanraw lem, sial lu etc. te hi a ni tlangpui, an ziah dan(style) pawh hi a inang deuh vek bawk. Khawchhak leh khawtlang lama mi pawh an thil ziah leh an ziah dan a inang tho bawk. Amaherawhchu hemi vang ringawt hian hnam khat kutchhuak a ni erawh kan ti ngawt thei lo.  

Lungphun a milem inziak te hi a ziah dan a zirin hetiang hian then theih a ni3 – a) Thai ran (scratching of figures on the outer surface) b) Ker khuar (deep cutting or deep incising) c) A pawnga inziak (Engraving of figures in high relief or embossing)  d) Engmah inziah lona lungphun (plain monument) 

 

 Tin, Mizo te thlang tlak dan leh an pem zel dan (routes of migration), an khawsak tawhna (settlement pattern) te kan zir chuan Mizoram khawchhak atang hian khawtlangah an chhuk thla zel tih a lang a. Chuvangin milema thil inziah dan(style) pawh an chhawm thla zel a nih hmel. Tin, khawchhak lama lungphun te hi a tlangpuiin khawtlang lama lungphun te aiin an upa zawk niin a lang, a phuntu ni a an sawi te chanchin enin.   Tin, ‘Pura’ hi Mara leh Lai hnam chenna velah hmuh tur a awm nual a, Chin Hills-ah Mara leh Lai ho lo awm tawhna ah te pawh hmuh tur a la awm. Chuvangin ‘Pura’ lung atang ringawt pawh hian Mara leh Lai hnam ho thlang tlak dan leh an kalkawng(routes of migration) hi a hriat theih ve riai riai a, chutiang zelin Sikpui Lung pawh Hmar ho chanchin chhui nan a tangkai bawk. Hetiang a nih avang hian lungphun hi chanchin hlui(history) chhui nan a tangkai em em a ni.  

 

Vangchhia ‘Kawtchhuah Ropui’ : A bik takin Vangchhia leh Lianpui a lungphun leh hmundanga Mizo lungphun awm te hi an danglamna chu milem inziak te hi a pawngchhuak a ziak an nih vang hi a ni. Vangchhia a kawtchhuah Ropui ah hian lungphun 250 vel a awm a, Mizoramah chuan hmun khata a hlawm a lungphun awmkhawm tamna ber a ni. 

A dawtah chuan Lianpui khaw kawtchhuah a ‘Lianpuia Lungdawh’ hi a ni ang. Hetah hian lungphun hi 84 vel a awm.4   A hma lama kan tarlan tawh angin Mizoram lungphuna a milem inziak te hi a inziah dan a zirin hlawm 4-ah then a ni a, heng zingah hian a pawng chhuaka ziak hi a har ber a, a ‘skill’ pawh a sang ber bawk. Vangchhia a Kawtchhuah Ropuia lungphunah te hian hetianga milem inziak hi a tam hle a, hei hian he lungphun pawh hi a ti hlu leh zual awm e. Mizoram hmun dangah pawh hetiang ang lungphuna milem a pawnga inziak hi a tam lo hle a, chhiar tham lek a awm. Amaherawhchu, hetiang ziak lungphun te hi Vangchhia, Lianpui leh Zotlang(Champhai) ah deuh chauh a awm anga sawi thin5 hi chu a dik chiah lova, Zoram hmun hrang hrangah hian hmuh tur a awm ve pheuh pheuh. Entirnan, hetiang lungphun hi khawthlang Pukzing bul ah ‘lung phun lian’ an tih mai te pawh a awm a, milem te pawh a pawnga inziak vek a ni.  

A hma lama kan sawi tawh angin lungphun te hian phun chhan an nei a, mitthi tawh hriatrengnan te, kut pui (series of feast of merit) puala phun te, thangchhuahpa in a hlawhtlinna hriatrengnana a phun te, khaw indin (settlement of villages) hriatrengnan te leh damlaia thiltih ropui tarlanna (damlai lung) atan te leh chhan tam tak vangin an phun thin. ‘Kawtchhuah Ropui’ a lungphun tam tak te hi thil engemaw bik atana phun aimahin lal leh mipuiin helaia an khawsak tawhna (settlement of villages) hriatrengnana an phun a nih a rinawm ber. Tin, helai hnaiah lung lakna tur lunghmun(quarry) emaw a awm loh avangin a lakna hnai vai ber tur ni a lang Tiau luia mi hi an la a nih hmel a,6 chuvangin hetiang zat lung la tur leh phun tur hian kum engemaw zat a ngai dawn a, chuvangin a phuntute hian helai hmunah hian khaw nghet tak an din a rinawm. Tin, hetiang zat lung hi Tiau lui atanga an la a nih chuan Vangchhia atanga Tiau lui panna kawng ‘lei rut/Mirawng lamlian’an tih mai, INTACH in ‘Pipute lam liam’ ti a an sawi tak hi zau tha tak a nih a rinawm. 

Tin, lemziak chungchangah hian hetiang milem hi ziak thei khawpin kan pipute hi an thiamna a sang a ngem ? tih zawhna te pawh a awm thei. Mizo pipute Tiau lui an kan hma, Chin Hills vela an awm lai pawh khan hmanrua atan thir hi an lo hmang nasa em em tawh a, hriamhrei lamah an changkang em em a ni.7 Chuvangin Thirdeng te kha an thiamna a sang hle tih a lang reng a, Mizoram an lo luh hnuah pawh silai cheng (gun- lock) te hial pawh an chher thiam tawh a. Chuvangin lunga milem ziak leh ker pawn te chu an thiam ve viau turah ngai ila. Amaherawhchu hetianga milem ziak dan hi anmahni atanga chhuak a ni lo mai thei a, entawn tur Tiau chhak lamah a awm tawh a nih hmel. 

 

Mirawng ho phun a ni em ?  

 Kawtchhuah Ropui a lungphun chi hrang hrangte hi Mirawng/Rongmei ho phun a ni thei em? tih ngaihdan a awm a. A chhan chu helai velah hian ‘Mirawng kawng/lamlian’ an tih mai te a awm a, an sulhnu ni thei awma sawite a awm vang a ni ber. Hetih lai hian Mizoram hmar chhaka khaw pakhat Lungphunlian khaw hming chawi chhan ‘Lungphun lian’ hi Mirawng ho sulhnu ni a ngai an awm nual bawk a. Hemi a nih avang hian ‘lungphunlian’ leh ‘kawtchhuah ropui’-phuntute hi Mirawngho ni a thenkhatin ngaihdan an neih avangin Mirawng ho chanchin tawite han tarlang ila.  

 Mirawng ho hi tute nge ? 

Mirawng/Rongmei ho hi Naga hnam chi khat, tuna Manipura cheng te an ni a. Naga hnam chi 10 zinga Kacha Naga hnam peng an ni. Kacha Naga hnam peng 4 te chu Zemi (Zeme/Zemei), Lyengmi(Liangmei), Maroungmai(Rongmei) leh Kabui te an ni. Kum 1963-a Nagaland chu state puitlinga hlan kai a lo nih khan ‘Kacha Naga’ tih chu paihin ‘Zeliang’ ti a dah an ni a, chu chu Zemei leh Liangmei hnam kaihkawp a ni. Hemi hnuah hian Rongmei tel lehin ‘Zeliangrong’ tih an lo ni ta a ni. Heng hnamho ah hian Kabui Naga te an tel bawk. Anni ho zingah hian Rongmei ho hi hnam lian an ni a, an ‘homeland’ ni a an ngaih chu Manipur khawthlang lam tlangdung, Imphal valley leh North Cachar hills(Assam) inkar hi a ni. Tunhma chuan Manipur, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya leh Mizoram ah te an awm thin a, tunah Manipur-a Tamenglong District ah an awm. 

Rongmei tih hi Maroungmei tih atanga lak a ni a, anmahni tawng chuan ‘Rong’ tih chu ‘chhim lam’ tiha ni a, ‘Mei’ tih chu mi/mipui tihna ni. Tichuan Rongmei tih chu ‘chhim lam atanga rawn kal’ tihna tluk a ni. Anmahni chanchin kan chhiar chuan Zeliangrong hnam ho hi China rama chhimthlang(Southwest region of China) atanga Naga hnamdang -Ao, Angami, Sema, Lotha, Tangkhul, Rengma te nena rawn pem thla ni a rin a ni a. Burma ram leh South East Asia ramah rawn lut thla in tuna India hmarchhaka hian lut ta niin a lang.8 Naga ho hi Asia chhim chhak ram South East Asia a cheng hnam te nen hian inanna tam tak an nei a. Naga History kan chhiar chuan kum zabi 13-na velah tuna an chenna hi Burma atangin an lut niin a lang. Zeliangrong hnam ho pawh hi Naga hnam dang ang bawk a, Burma atanga lut niin an ngai.  

Rongmei chanchin ziaktu G. Makuga chuan ‘Liangmei hovin Angami an zui a, chumi hnuah Zemei hovin Manipur chhim thlangah an zui leh a, a dawt lehah Rongmei hovin Manipur khawthlang lam an lut veleh a. Hei hi tun thlenga an ‘homeland’ ni a an ngaih chu a ni’9 a ti. Tichuan Rongmei ho chu Naga hnam zingah rau rau chuan Chin Hills(Burma) atanga lut hnuhnung ber an ni a. G. Makuga chuan ‘Chin Hills-a Rongkiang tlangdung atanga Rongmei ho an chhuah hnuah Kookies (Koomees an tih bawk) te chuan kum zabi 17-na velah an zui veleh a. Mizorama an luh hnu hian Rongmei ho hi Lusei hovin Mrungs (Miruang/Rongmei) tiin an hria’ tiin a ziak.10 Mizorama an awm lai hian hmar chhak lam –Champhai, Tualcheng, Selam, Lungphunlian, Vankal tlangdung ah te an khawsa thin niin a ziak bawk. An khawsak tawhna ah te hian  suhnu an hnutchhiah nual a, lungphun bakah kulh hlui te, thlan hluite, kawngpui hlui te an hnutchhiah a ni. Tualcheng khaw daiah velah pawh hian hetiang hnuhma - Mirawng thlan(graves), Mirawng kulh (castles) te pawh tun thlengin hmuh tur a la awm nual bawk. 

Rongmei ho Mizorama an khawsak hun vel hi chhut thuakin kum zabi 17-na tawp lam vel a nih a rinawm a, a chhan chu  kum zabi 18-na tir lamah khan Lungphunlian khua atanga hmar lam km 5 vela hla Selam khuaah hian Mirawngho an la cheng niin an sawi.11 

 Lungphunlian hi lung phek lian pui mai, chher mam lem loh phun tawp a ni a. A piah leh deuhvah hian a khat mawi tawkin, kawngpui sirah zel lung chher mam lem loh a inphun phei nual bawk a. Hetianga lung inphun tlar hi ‘Alignment’ tih a ni. Kawngpui sirah a khat tawkin a inphun phei zut mai a ni.  

Manipura  Rongmei ho chenna thin bawr vela an lungphun dan nen hian a in ang hle a. Entirnan, Churachanpur chhehvela khaw pakhat Selangthel khaw dai velan an lungphun pawh hetianga lung chher mam lem loh, lian pui pui, kawngpui dunga a khat tawka inphun zut ang hi a ni a. Anni chuan ‘Boundary pillar’an ti. Tin, heng lungphunah te hian milem an ker ngai lem lo. Helai hmun hi hmanlaia Kabui Naga(Rongmei) hnam ho lo khawsak tawhna a ni.12 Chuvangin Manipura ram chhunga Rongmei ho lungphun dan nena khaikhin chuan Lungphunlian leh a bul vela lung inphun tlar (alignment) ho hi Mirawng/Rongmei ho phun a nih theihna lai pawh a awm. 

 Tichuan, Rongmei ho lungphun dan en chuan ‘Kawtchhuah Ropui’a lungphun te hi Mirawngho sulhnu niin a lang lo.  A hma lama kan tarlan tawh angin Mizoram hmun hrang hrangah hian hetiang lungphuna milem inziak hi hmuh tur a awm ve nual avangin hnam dang sulhnu ni a ngaih hi a har hle. A chhan chu, kan chhehvel Tripura, Cachar(Assam) leh Manipurah te hian hetiang hi hmuh tur a awm mang lova, Mizoram chhungah hian a awm ber a, chuvangin Kawtchhuah Ropui pawh hi Mizo sulhnu a nih a rinawm ber.     

 Humhalh a ngai “Kawtchhuah Ropui’ hi Mizote mai ni lo, khawvel tana thil ropui a nih avangin humhalh a ngai a, chuvangin hemi lam hawi hi tlem han belh ila. Richard Nickel chuan "Great architecture has only two natural enemies: water and stupid men" tiin a sawi a, heng lungphun te pawh hi a ti chhe tu chu tu dang ni lovin mihringte kan ni a, a humhalh theitu pawh mihringte tho kan ni.  ‘Kawtchhuah Ropui’ hi Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in hmun pawimawh leh humhalh ngai (Site of National Importance) atan a puang tawh a. A lawmawm hle a ni. 

Heng bakah hian Mizoram Sawrkar pawhin kum 2001 khan ‘The Mizoram Ancient Monuments and Archaeological sites and Remains Act, 2001’ chu a lo passed tawh a, chumi hmang chuan ‘The Mizoram Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 2003’ chu hman a ni ta a.13 He Rules hmang hian Mizoram chhunga hmanlai thil hlui leh historical places engemaw zat chu humhalh ni ta a.  

He Dan in kan thilh lui te a humhalh dan leh hemi kawnga mipuite tih tur leh mawhphurhna te han tarlang ila a tha awm e.

a) Mi tumahin heng thil hluite hi ( ancient monument) an ti chhia in an khawih ching pen tur a ni lo, 

b) Ei leh in siamna atan an hmang tur a ni lova, mei chhem loh tur a ni bawk (a bikin Lungdawh chungah te), phalna nei an nih loh chuan,

 c) Thil zawrhna atan leh fakna (advertisement banner) tarna atan te hman phal a ni lo bawk, 

d) A hmun tlawh duhte tan pawh Ran emaw Motor emaw ken phalloh a ni. (a hmun tlawh duh te tana motor dahna an siam bak chu motor ken phal loh a ni). Ran ken phalloh tih hian a hungna te an chil chhe thei a, an ek khum thei bawk a, hemi laka ven nan hian a ni. 

e) Archaeological sites te hi phalna nei lo tan chuan laih emaw kut lo thlak ve ngawt theih a ni lo. Entirnan, hmanlaia thil hlui an phumna hmun te pawh hre mah ila, mahni thu a laih ngawt theih a ni lova, thuneituten phalna an pek a ngaih bakah a ti tur dik takin an laih a ngai. 

f) Tin, heng thil hlui laihchhuah tuma laih (archaeological excavation) a nih a, engemaw hmanrua/bungrua (antiquities) laihchhuah a awm a nih pawhin State Sawrkar hnenah Report pek tur a ni. 

g) Heng thil hluite hi thuneitute thu lo chuan mahni duh thu a lak sawn emaw lak bo ngawt theih a nilo. Lungvando bung pakhat, tuna State Museum kawta inphun pawh hi he dan hi lo nei hman ila chuan phun a ni kher awm lo ve.

 Heng bakah hian hmanlai thil hlui humhalh kawngah hian mipuite tih tur leh mawhphurhna tam tak a la awm. Hemi kawngah hian YMA te an thawh hlawk hle a, an fakawm hle a ni. Anmahni ram chhung theuhva thilhlui leh Mizo history a thil tangkai an neih chuan an humhalh vat a, chutiang tihna chang an hriat avang chuan an khua pawh miin an tlawh chak phah fo thin. Khaw changkang zia a ni. Hetiang a nih avang hian a changtu Department (Art & Culture) tan pawh a awlsam phah hle nghe nghe a ni.  

A tawp berah chuan, Kawtchhuah Ropui hi zirchian ngai a ni a, eng tik laia phun nge ? Tute phun nge? tih te hi mithiam te zirchian turah dah ila. Chutianga an zirchian theihna tur chuan a neitu te hian dim tak leh duat taka kan enkawl a pawimawh hle a ni.   

 

 

 

Thulakna te :                                                        

 1 Encyclopaedia Brittanica Inc, The New Encyclopaedia Brittanica Vol, VI(15th edition), USA, 1981.

 2 Rinsanga, Vanglaini, 19.9.2011 

3 Malsawmliana, Megalithic Monument of Mizoram : A Descriptive Study, Unpublished PhD Thesis, submitted to the Dept. of History, NEHU, Shillong, 2010, p.30. 

4 December 6-11, 2004 khan helai hmun hi tlawh a ni a, hemi tum hian lungphun hi 84 a awm. 

5 Rinsanga, op.cit. 

6 Tiau lui hi Vangchhia atang hian km 7 vela hla a ni. 

7 B. Lalthangliana, History of Mizo in Burma, Aizawl,1975, p.20. 

8 Gangumei Kamei, A History of the Zeliangrong Nagas, Spectrum Publications, Guwahati, 2004, p.29 

9 G. Makuga, Introduction to the Rongmei Nagas, Imphal, 1994. 

10 ibid. 

11 B. Lalthangliana, Mizo Chanchin, Published by Remkungi, Aizawl, 2001, p.200; Liangkhaia, Mizo Chanchin, (5th Edition), Mizoram Publication Board, 2002, p.20. 

12 Potshangbam Binodini Devi, The Megalithic Culture of Manipur, Agam Kala  Prakashan, New Delhi, 2011.pp.8991.

13 For details see, The Mizoram Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 2001(Act No.2 of 2001), The Mizoram Gazette Extra Ordinary, Published by Authority. Vol .XXX, Issue No.62, Aizawl, 28.3.2001, and The Mizoram Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 2003, The Mizoram Gazette Extra Ordinary. Published by Authority. Vol .XXXIV, Issue No.328, Aizawl, 24.11.2005.