Phawngpui (Pron: /ˌpʰɔ:ŋˈpʊɪ/), also known as Blue Mountain, is the highest mountain peak in the Mizo Hills (Lushai Hills) and in the state of

Mizoram, India Mizoram is a state in northeastern India, with Aizawl as its capital and largest city. It shares 722-kilometres (449 miles) of international borders with Bangladesh to the west, and Myanmar to the east and south, with domestic borders with the ...

, with an elevation of 2157 m. It is in

Lawngtlai district Lawngtlai district is one of the eleven districts of Mizoram state in India. History Prior to the arrival of the British in the late 19th century, the area which became Lawngtlai District was ruled by local chieftains, whose zones of control w ...

, in the southeastern region of Mizoram near the

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

border.

Geography

Phawngpui is the highest peak of the Lushai Hills. There is a semicircular series of

cliff In geography and geology, a cliff or rock face is an area of Rock (geology), rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. ...

s on the western side called ''Thlazuang Khàm'', which have a sharp and deep fall;

mountain goat The mountain goat (''Oreamnos americanus''), also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, is a cloven-footed mammal that is endemic to the remote and rugged mountainous areas of western North America. A subalpine to truly alpine species, it is a s ...

s live there. These cliffs are believed to be haunted by spirits. On the peak, there is a level ground of about 2 km² in area.

Etymology and origin

A highly revered peak, considered to be the abode of local deities, Phawngpui was a major centre of

folk religion Folk religion, traditional religion, or vernacular religion comprises, according to religious studies and folkloristics, various forms and expressions of religion that are distinct from the official doctrines and practices of organized religion. ...

and location for

folklore Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...

stories. The name is derived from the

Lai language The Bolyu language (autonym: '; ; also known as Paliu, Palyu, or Lai 俫语, 徕语) is an Austroasiatic language of the Pakanic branch. Classification Bolyu is related to the Bugan language, forming the Pakanic branch along with it. In 198 ...

, ''phong'', meaning "

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...

" or "

meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non- woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as they maintain an open character. Meadows can occur naturally under favourable con ...

", and the suffix ''-pui'' meaning, "great". This was because the mountain was mostly covered with all types of meadows, hence appropriately the "great meadow". The mountain was, according to the belief of the natives, the abode of several spiritual races. The most important folktale, perhaps, is that of a

deity A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...

king named "Sangau"; the actual town at the base of the mountain has become Sangau. Sangau had a son who married the princess of another royal family called Cherian. At the wedding was an exchange of gifts, a couple of hoolock gibbons from Sangau and a

pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. ''World Flora Online'' accepts 134 species-rank taxa (119 species and 15 nothospecies) of pines as cu ...

tree from Cherian. The base area, the main entrance of the mountain bears that name ''Farpak'' (meaning "pine only").

Conservation

Since 1992 the mountain has been included in the

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewood ...

of the

Phawngpui National Park Phawngpui National Park or Phawngpui Blue Mountain National Park is one of the two national parks of India in Mizoram, the other and the larger being Murlen National Park. It is about 300 km from the main city Aizawl, located in the Lawng ...

, one of only two

national parks of India National parks in India are International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) category II protected areas. India's first national park was established in 1936, now known as Jim Corbett National Park, in Uttarakhand. In 1970, India had on ...

in Mizoram. The

Government of Mizoram The Government of Mizoram ( Mizo: Mizoram Sawrkâr) also known as the State Government of Mizoram, or locally as State Government, is the supreme governing authority of the Indian state of Mizoram and its 11 districts. It consists of an execut ...

allows

ecofriendly Environment friendly processes, or environmental-friendly processes (also referred to as eco-friendly, nature-friendly, and green), are sustainability and marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that cl ...

visit to the mountain only during November to April.

Flora and fauna

The area is encircled by matted

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...

groves and other alluring vegetations. There are varieties of

butterflies Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...

, including some rare species found in this region. The Farpak area in Phawngpui is a huge grassland adjacent to a cliff area where one can sight birds like

peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known simply as the peregrine, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family (biology), family Falconidae renowned for its speed. A large, Corvus (genus), cro ...

Blyth's tragopan Blyth's tragopan (''Tragopan blythii'') or the grey-bellied tragopan, is a pheasant that is a vulnerable species. The common name commemorates Edward Blyth (1810–1873), English zoologist and Curator of the Museum of the Asiatic Society of Benga ...

sunbirds Sunbirds and spiderhunters make up the family (biology), family Nectariniidae of passerine birds. They are small, slender passerines from the Old World, usually with downward-curved bills. Many are brightly coloured, often with iridescent feathe ...

, grey sibia, golden-throated barbet,

Mrs. Hume's pheasant Mrs. Hume's pheasant (''Syrmaticus humiae'') (; literally, ''"one who follows the track of rain"'', Mizo: Vavu), also known as Hume's pheasant or the bar-tailed pheasant, is a large forest pheasant. It is the state bird of the Indian states of M ...

hornbill Hornbills are birds found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia of the family Bucerotidae. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly coloured and sometimes has a horny casque on the upper ...

dark-rumped swift The dark-rumped swift (''Apus acuticauda'') is a species of swift in the family Apodidae. It is found in Bhutan and Northeast India and is a vagrant to Thailand. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threate ...

, mountain bamboo partridge,

black eagle The black eagle (''Ictinaetus malaiensis'') is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus ''Ictinaetus''. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical and subtropical South a ...

and other birds. The very rare

clouded leopard The clouded leopard (''Neofelis nebulosa''), also called mainland clouded leopard, is a wild cat inhabiting dense forests from the foothills of the Himalayas through Northeast India and Bhutan to mainland Southeast Asia into South China. It w ...

has been recorded in the Farpak area since 1997. There have been instances of wild orchids being stolen from Phawngpui, efforts are being taken to protect and conserve it.

Gallery

File:2007-blue-mountain-np.jpg, Park at sunrise File:2007-blue-mtn-farpak.jpg, Farpak grassland

References

External links

# Mizoram Touris

{{National Parks of India Lushai Hills Hills of Mizoram Tourist attractions in Mizoram Highest points of Indian states and union territories Mountains of Mizoram Geography of Mizoram