The sparsely populated Mizoram is an almost entirely Christian state and the people here have less Indian, and more Chinese-Thai like features. The people are incredibly friendly and welcoming, and on a visit you will find total strangers thanking you for bothering to visit their state. There are no caste distinctions in the culture of Mizoram, and women are quite liberated. The people of Mizoram are keen dancers, and use the many festivals to display their traditional music and dances.

The state’s capital Aizawl lies on a steep ridge. Many houses that are at road level on the front side, hang over the ridge on the back and are stabilised by stilts several times as high as the entire house. Steep stairways link the roads. Mizoram is home to thick bamboo forests, picturesque rivers and over 300 species of butterflies. Mizoram’s highest peak, 2,157 metre high Phawngpui, has been declared a National Park for its thick forests, grassy glades and rich wildlife.

Images on this page taken from Flickr CC, courtesy of fixing-shadows.