Mizo's Love for Development

Mizo’s Love for Development

In the year 1974 my father was posted at Lungleh in Mizoram. He was there on special duty for the construction of roads in the mountainous region. At most of the places, roads were going to be laid down for the first time. It was an uphill task, very exciting and challenging. He was to move to different places for carrying out surveys. Once he was on his way to Aizawal with his teammates, it was the month of July; they started their sojourn at dawn around 4:30 as there the sun rises earlier. The existing roads could best be described as virtual death traps. Boulders and pebbles rained from all directions.

At one place the bridge was damaged it was informed that it would take at least 4-5 hrs to get it repaired. They were on a very important mission. My father was the officer-in charge of this operation, with his never-slacken-the-pace of work attitude, he ordered his men to start working. They complied with his orders, and against all odds the work started in full swing.

The local Mizos watched them with curiosity; they could not contain themselves any longer and asked them the purpose and reason for it. Their mother tongue is ‘Lushai,’ but they are well versed in ‘English’ also. My father gave them a detailed information regarding his work. They were overwhelmed that the roads were being constructed for the development of their state. They will be benefited by the success of this project, moreover it will facilitate vehicular movement, even in the remotest villages. They made room for them in a small thatched hut to make them feel comfortable. They served them, tea and hot meals without causing much disturbance. Some went to the extent of lending a helping hand to the construction works to speed up the pace of work.

The warmth and hospitality of Mizo’s and their zeal to whole-heartedly support the developmental work, touched the hearts of my father and his colleagues. He still cherishes and nurtures those moments, he loves to bask in the warmth of those sweet memories and calls them ‘bliss in solitude’.