Vangchhia

Vangchhia
village
Vangchhia

Location in Mizoram, India

Vangchhia

Location in India

Coordinates: 23°12′13″N 93°20′00″E / 23.2035497°N 93.3332252°E / 23.2035497; 93.3332252Coordinates: 23°12′13″N 93°20′00″E / 23.2035497°N 93.3332252°E / 23.2035497; 93.3332252
Country India
State Mizoram
District Champhai
Block Khawbung
Elevation 1,641 m (5,384 ft)
Population (2011)
  Total 837
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
2011 census code 271364

Vangchhia is a village in the Champhai district of Mizoram, India. It is located in the Khawbung R.D. Block.[1]

The 171 menhir stones in the village became Mizoram's first protected archaeological site in 2012.[2]

Demographics

According to the 2011 census of India, Vangchhia has 153 households. The effective literacy rate (i.e. the literacy rate of population excluding children aged 6 and below) is 96.87%.[3]

Demographics (2011 Census)[3]
Total Male Female
Population 837 424 413
Children aged below 6 years 167 82 85
Scheduled caste 0 0 0
Scheduled tribe 815 413 402
Literates 649 333 316
Workers (all) 354 205 149
Main workers (total) 343 199 144
Main workers: Cultivators 319 182 137
Main workers: Agricultural labourers 0 0 0
Main workers: Household industry workers 0 0 0
Main workers: Other 24 17 7
Marginal workers (total) 11 6 5
Marginal workers: Cultivators 10 5 5
Marginal workers: Agricultural labourers 0 0 0
Marginal workers: Household industry workers 0 0 0
Marginal workers: Others 1 1 0
Non-workers 483 219 264

Society

The Vangchhia tribe is native to this village. Vangchhia is the name of one of the eleven sub-tribes of Mizoram.[4] They along with genealogically related clans like the Khawlhring, Pautu, Saivate, etc. form the greater Faihriem group of clans. They trace their descent from Chunthang, the son of Berhva. Traditions maintain that Chunthang was a very good man, and his good character earned him the hands of the Biete princess, Lalzaii. However, the couple could not nurture any child to maturity. The offspring out of the wedlock died at infancy. One night, in his dream he was told that the next child should be arranged to be born in another village and the child will survive. So, when the time for delivery of the next child came, the mother was taken to the village of the Thiek clan where she delivered a healthy boy. As the boy was born in another village, he was named 'Khualhring'. The boy later on became the progenitor of the Khawlhring clan. When the time for the next child came, Chunthang was again told to arrange for the child to be kept below the 'vang' tree near their house to ensure his survival. It was done so, and the child survived. The child was named 'Vangsie' or Vangchhia, indicating his first bed below the tree. Later, his descendants came to be known by that name.

References

  1. "Mizoram villages" (PDF). Land Records Information Systems Division, NIC. Retrieved 2015-08-22.
  2. "Mizoram’s first ‘monument’ - The menhirs of Vangchhia to be protected by ASI". The Telegraph (Calcutta). 3 June 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
  3. 1 2 "District Census Handbook - Champhai" (PDF). 2011 Census of India. Directorate of Census Operations, Mizoram. Retrieved 2015-08-22.
  4. Joshi, H. G. (2005). Mizoram: Past and Present. Mittal Publications. p. 8. ISBN 81-7099-997-9.
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