Mizoram is one of India's most remote and least-visited states, tucked into the far north-east corner of the country, sandwiched between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Few travellers make the effort to come this far, which is a pity — the state has a distinctive character that sets it apart from anything else in India.
The landscape is all hills. Ranges fold across the state in every direction, with the highest peak, Phawngpui (Blue Mountain), reaching 2,157 metres. Between the ridges, fast rivers cut through deep gorges. The climate is mild by Indian standards — cool in summer, not bitterly cold in winter — and the hills stay green for much of the year.
The Mizo people are of Mongoloid origin, believed to have migrated south from upper Burma in the 17th century. Christian missionaries arrived in the 19th century and had a profound effect: today around 87 per cent of the population is Christian, churches are everywhere, and Mizoram has one of the highest literacy rates in India. The culture feels genuinely different from the rest of the subcontinent.
The capital, Aizawl, clings to a steep ridge at around 1,100 metres. The houses stack up the hillside, the streets are narrow and winding, and flowers grow in abundance. The views from the higher points over the surrounding hills are striking.
