North–South War of the Lushai Hills

Chhim Leh Hmar Indo The War of the North and South
Date 1856–1859 Location Lushai Hills Result No clear winner North captures the South's young chief Prominent southern village Khawnglung destroyed with a massacre by the North
Belligerents
Lalpuithanga	Vuta

The Chhim leh Hmar Indo, or the War of the North and South, was a civil war in the Lushai chiefdoms, taking place between 1856 and 1859 and widely considered one of the bloodiest conflicts among the Mizo people. Centered on the Sailo chieftaincy, the conflict involved all of Mizoram’s tribes and major Lals (chiefs). This event led to the migration of Old Kuki people outside of the Lushai Hills to the Barak Valley and Hill Tippera.

Background

By the 1850s, inter-tribal raids were a common feature of Mizo life, but a shift began as Mizo principalities redirected their raids towards Bengali and British settlements in the plains. The Sailo clan formed a loose confederacy led by a supreme Lal, and other prominent dynasties, such as the Lais and Fanais, maintained their systems. This fragile peace emerged in the aftermath of a brutal war between the Sailos and the Suktes of Burma, leaving the region in a state of war fatigue.

However, this period of relative calm was shattered by a feud between two powerful Sailo Lals: Lalpuithanga of the South and Vuta of the North. The dispute, sparked by a boundary disagreement and a provocative song, escalated rapidly.

According to popular accounts, Vuta composed a mocking song accusing Lalpuithanga of giving up part of his territory. Deeply insulted, Lalpuithanga vowed revenge. When Vuta sent his men to ransom a valuable gun, Lalpuithanga forced them to admit that their king had insulted him. Enraged by their admission, Lalpuithanga fired a blank shot as they departed—an act signifying a declaration of war in Mizo culture.

Conflict

The war engulfed all of Mizoram, with the northern principalities, including the powerful Fanais, supporting Vuta, and the southern principalities, including the dominant Lais, backing Lalpuithanga. It became one of the bloodiest conflicts in Mizo history, far surpassing the brutality of earlier raids and skirmishes. Entire villages were plundered and massacred, and one of the most infamous episodes was the Khawnglung Massacre. The wealthy and prosperous southern village of Khawnglung was attacked without warning by the Fanais, allies of the northern Sailos. Most of the men were killed, while the women and children were taken as slaves.

The massacre became a legendary tale in Mizo culture, immortalized through the romantic oral narrative Sanga, which recounts the story of Chala and Thangi, two Khawnglung citizens separated by the attack. According to the narrative, Chala faced immense challenges to rescue Thangi from her captors.

Origin of the word Pawi

It is believed that the term Pawi, a disparaging name used for the Lais, originated during this war. According to legend, a Southern Lai Pasalṭha (warrior) was cornered by Northern Pasalṭhas. Defiant to the end, the warrior declared himself a leopard—"Keima pawte"—in his dialect. Northerners unfamiliar with the Lai language misheard it as "pawite," leading to the Lais and their kin being referred to as the Pawi or Pawite.

Conclusion of the war

The three-year conflict left no clear victor, though the northern principalities were believed to have fared slightly better. The war ended abruptly in 1859 due to the Mautam famine, a natural disaster that devastated the region and forced both sides to abandon the fighting.

Impact and legacy in modern Mizoram

The Chhim leh Hmar Indo had a profound and lasting impact on Mizoram’s history and culture. The conflict weakened Mizo states, leaving them vulnerable to British conquest. The British further exacerbated the divisions by splitting Mizoram into the North and South Lushai Hills.

The war also deepened sociocultural divides. The Church in Mizoram was similarly split, with the North becoming predominantly Presbyterian and the South largely Baptist. These differences persist to this day, along with lingering competition and occasional bitterness between the two regions.