This is the season for Mizo grapes! The legendary placid lake ‘Rih Dil’ is located 22 kilometers inside Myanmar from Champhai town. A long weekend often leads us to visit... We have always been fascinated by esoteric aspects of religion, drawn to the mysticism of cultures and rituals. Infact, “Rih” is the local word for ‘heart’. The day dawned bright and clear. The Rih Dil Lake is a heart-shaped lake and the largest lake in Mizoram. In all probability, the sumos will be coming from some other destinations to Champhai and then going over to Zokhawthar. We arrived at Aizawl from Silchar in Assam. It is the headquarters of Champhai district, one of the eight districts in the state. Hope you return to India again soon and explore the eastern and northeastern side. Though the episode with the Sumo driver left a bad aftertaste, we still believe in the goodness of all people. We hopped on to two bikes and the bikers took us through the hilly roads of Myanmar to Rih Dil. The container is known as pawisa bawm or pawisa dahna. We would return back to Mizoram again and visit the places that we missed this time. The bike took Rs250 per head from us. I was obviously drawn towards Rih Dil and so our plan to visit Champhai in Mizoram materialized. Be prepared to walk back (~6 km easy downhill). You will also get sumo from Silchar directly to Champhai. I think it’s really interesting how this lake is important for the Mizo people but is located within the state of Myanmar; definitely feels like there’s a lot of history worth digging into. And if you need any help, you have a friend here. I wonder if the heart-shaped lake gets lots of visitors, and if so, I wonder if the visitors are all from Myanmar or from elsewhere. Every time we visit this small state, we keep falling in love with its picturesque landscape, grand views of Kanchenjunga and smiling faces. It cannot be visited without prior permission from the Deputy Commissioner's Office. You can call them up and reserve your rooms. Thank you Manjulika. It was another long ride to Champhai, but our driver gave us sufficient intervals to stretch our legs as well as toilet breaks. Whereas the Rih Dil Lake is in the Champhai, which is the far eastern district and requires plenty of travel. Historically and culturally, the lake is believed to be the pathway for the dead to reach their final resting place. The Mizos thus believe Rih Dil to be the home of all the spirits and the lake has influenced poets, writers and composers of Mizoram for long to produce some fantastic tales and compositions. The tourist Lodge would serve you breakfast and dinner, but not lunch. You will get the sumo from Champhai market. Champhai is bordering Burma (Myanmar) which makes it very easy to cross the border and get there. © Holidify Travels Pvt Ltd.- All Right Reserved. Rih Dil is about 3 km from the border. They would take us to the lake, wait for us for some time as we admired the beauty of the lake and then bring us back to the border. It wandered there for a few days and then returned to his village and home. Learn how your comment data is processed. So it was not a surprise when I wanted to visit the Chausath Yogini Temple Morena during our trip to Madhya Pradesh. Accommodation and travel from Aizawl. Today, our destination was Champhai and then further on to Zokhawthar, the last town on the Indian border. Rih Dil Lake is one of the amazing tourist attraction to visit in Champhai town of Mizoram. Mitthi Khua is the place where the common people settled after death leading an afterlife that is similar to their past life. The customers come, have a look at the items, make their choice and grab what they want not forgetting to put the amount they owe in the container. Tam Dil lake is only 80 kilometers from the state capital and is reachable after a three-hour drive. I did not know that dil means lake in local. Going by a bike taxi would be a fun way to travel Interesting to know that this area is also known for wine. Your post really inspire me to visit Mizoram and camp beside the beautiful Rih Dil lake. So to visit Rih DIl from Champhai, you are actually visiting a different country! I would love to visit with my boyfriend for the natural beauty of the area and for the sentiment of it all. This is truly remarkable. Aww I love the symbolism of the heart shaped lake for lovers! Places To Visit In Champhai . Sumo from Aizawl will take about 7-8 hours to reach Champhai. I bet it would look great shot from above with a drone or from an airplane. Submit a Comment Cancel reply. Rih Dil hi Champhai atanga Km 22 a hla, Myanmar ramchhunga awm a ni a, Rihdil hian mizote rilru ah hmun pawimawh tak a luah a, chu chu mitthi thlarau kalkawng ni a an ngaihna hi a ni. You can also get taxis at Rikhawdar side to the lake. We started for Champhai in the morning in a shared vehicle at around 7 AM in the morning. This picturesque countryside of Mizoram offers a lot to its visitors. The significance of Rih Dil in the Mizo life can be seen both in the marriage and love as well as in the afterlife. Its so picturesque. The water would quench its desire to go back to the mortal world. Rih lake is situated at a distance of about two miles from Tiau which is the boundary river between Mizoram (India) and Myanmar, and is within the village area of Rihkhawdar in Myanmar. Dont have an Account? Thanks for also sharing about the cultural significance of the lake to Mizo community. This heart shaped lake is believed to be the passage of souls to the eternal abode. Surrounded by the enchanting hills of Myanmar, Champai is one of the important districts of Mizoram in North East of India, strategically located at the Indo-Myanmar border town, it serves as the important commercial market for trade ways between Myanmar and other South East Asia countries. The grapes grown here are not usually popular as table fruit, but are absolutely fit for making wines. Shared sumos are available from Aizawl to Champhai throughout the day. On 1st May 2019 i Cross Indo-Myanmar border with my bike and visit Rih Dil. by Agni AmritaJan 3, 2020Destination Guides, India, Mizoram, Northeast India29 comments. . We never post anything without your permission. Required fields are marked * Comment. The model Mizo houses in the park is not well maintained. Try to get the booking in the cottage, they have an excellent view of the paddy fields beyond. Mizoram has other lakes that are called Tam Dil and Palak Dil. And a home for spirits as well. Champhai has an excellent winery as well as some vineyards that look absolutely gorgeous during the grape season. This is an awkward claim to make, but it is a fact due to arbitrary political boundaries. For many newlyweds in eastern Mizoram, it is a kind of ritual to cross over the border and visit the Rih Dil and capture some of the most beautiful moments of their lives by the lake. And yes, we love the Himalayas too. Rih Dil was no doubt the highlight of our trip, but the paddy fields, the quaint villages and the wine factory gave us enough fodder for our wanderlust hearts. Rih Dil. The best place to stay is at the Champhai Tourist Lodge run by the Tourist Department. Rih Dil is beautiful. But here again, you have to bargain a bit. These two lakes demand more days; thus, tourists have one option, the Tam Dil lake. Thank you so much Agnes. From there, you have to walk down a little to the border. The Mizos have a name for these shops – the nghah lou dawr or the shops without shopkeepers. But such shops are not rare in other parts as well. So if you are taking a car, you have to leave it at Zokawthar border and then arrange for another transport to Rih Dil. Rih Dil Lake looks like a beautiful natural site to visit, the entire Champhai area looks green and lush. Champhai to Zokhawthar is terribly bumpy. Thank you Clarice for the comment. I don’t think it is official. This is something unique that I noticed in the northeast states. rih dil Rih Lake is the largest lake in Mizoram, and is often contested to be situated in Myanmar. “Dil” is the local word for lake, just like Tso in Ladakh (Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri etc). What a heart-touching piece. This lake is believed to be the passage of souls to the everlasting habitation. Everything looked picture perfect. If you drive past the village all the way upto a hillock, there is a small park-like area. Cross the border to Myanmar but don’t pay any money to the Burmese border guard. We reached Champhai at around 2 PM. The heart-shaped lake gets quite a number of visitors from both countries. As it is the roads to Zokhawthar are full of potholes, during monsoons the ride will quite bad. The last bit of road to Zokhawthar was really very horrible. Champhai is a border town in Mizoram state, in far eastern India. After our visit to the Roh Dil, we were back at Rikhawdar and roamed around the place a little. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You simply go to the shop, choose what you want to buy, take them and pay the amount displayed there. Visiting the lake requires prior permission from the deputy commissioner's office. It is a common sight to see these ships along the highway near Seling on the way to Champhai. So to visit Rih DIl from Champhai, you are actually visiting a different country! Both these villages are important for Mizo tradition and culture. The shutters were still down in the markets but people were milling about dressed in their finery – we learned that the day after Christmas was the feast day or “Burra Khana”. Myanmar has been in my list to-visit for a long time. All the information you need, 5 tips for making your next vacation more green. The lake is 1 km long and 70 mt wide. Being trading centres, people from both the countries cross the bridge, get their work done and then return back. Mutual trust and honesty is the base of such commercial endeavours. Hope you had a better time at the Lake. We got a double bedroom for Rs600 and the cottages were only for Rs1000. Inside the park, there are a few model Mizo houses. It was a lovely September morning when we started out for Rih Dil. Rih Dil, Champhai District. Shops without shopkeepers are also not found elsewhere in India, but only in Mizoram. The autumn and winter months between October to March is the best time to visit Champhai. We saw one at Ruitlang village near Champhai also. The farmers have trust in the locals while the local people never fails the trust and buy from the nghah lou dawr. The shops without shopkeepers are also very interesting! It doesn’t look too hard the terrain. Mizoram is really a lovely place. According to the Mizo beliefs, there are two distinct worlds where the souls travel after death – Mitthi Khua, the land of the dead and Pialral, exclusive heaven that is the resting place for a selected few. Name * Email * Website. Rih Dil Champhai Mizoram Tourism. I never really heard that there is a passage to travel Myanmar from India and it looks really great. Create and share itinerary, download PDF Guides and free access to Holidify's full content. The lake is 1 km long and 70 mt wide. Thank you for your post, the shop with no shopkeeper really show how is this local people mind. The road to reach Ruantlang is also quite bad with big potholes. We value your privacy. Thank you Daniel! Your details are safe with us. Every morning the farmers who are also the shopkeepers arrange their produce containing vegetables, fruits, fruit juices, dried fishes and even small snails in front of their bamboo huts. You have to order your food beforehand here. Learn how your comment data is processed. Champhai was quite a revelation to us. So much natural beauty. Accommodation and travel from Aizawl. The easiest way would be to hire a car to Zokhawthar, the border town. Champhai’s wine connect goes back to more than a decade. Although the roads were really bad. It was so beautiful. Locals believe that it is the passageway for souls to enter the eternal abode. The drive from Champhai to Zokhawthar, the last border village is about an hour, and after registering ourselves to the Indian police at the border post, we crossed a bridge, which was painted in two colours. This is so beautiful! Champhai has limited options for accommodation. Ask a question from the travellers who have. While Zokhawthar is on the Indian side, its Burmese counterpart is named Rikhawdar. This small village proudly flaunts the signboard of “Tobacco free village” on the road. It is a very inspirational post. We explored around the place a little, visited the small market area of Champhai and later settled down for the night. Please be back to India and explore Northeast next time. I’ve been to India 3 times so far, but the country is vast and has so much to offer that I hope to be back someday. Thank you for introducing a new lake. Anyways, Pialral is something sort of heaven where the person can have a relaxed afterlife, while at Mitthi Khua, hardships would be common. Did you like the post? This heart shaped lake is believed to be the passage of souls to the eternal abode. We are intrigued by heritage, culture, festivals and people and that is reflected in our travel. Just like Darjeeling, Sikkim is one of our ‘go to’ places. We could see them all around the place and believe me, they were quite pleasing to the eyes. There are single rooms, dormitories, double rooms and cottages. If the customers do not have change they can take the change from the container where they had put the money. A few more pictures of Champhai in Mizoram. Your email address will not be published. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. That is truly fascinating that this is a wine-producing region, and the fields surrounding Rih Dil are so picturesque. Adventure enthusiast can indulge in some trekking at the Thasiama Seno Neihna which is about 83 Kms south of Champhai. Great shots throughout, and thanks for sharing! by Agni Amrita | Dec 27, 2019 | 0 comments. I think it would be so cool to visit a heart shaped lake, so would love to see Riu Dil Lake. Zokawthar also has a Tourist Lodge, if you want to stay near the border. Thanks for writing and sharing this detailed guide with tips on the same. The tourist lodges in Mizoram are usually quite good and clean having proper service. Kedarnath, the abode of Lord Shiva attracts thousands of devotees within a span of 6 months when the shrine remains open. Looks like an interesting spot to visit. Thank you Chris. Obviously, once we reached Mizoram, we appreciated its natural beauty to the fullest. You will gradually take a liking for the place. This sounds quite improbable in today’s world, but Mizoram exactly has such shops. Truly, India is vast and there are so many places to visit. There are bike taxis available at the border that took us to the lake. It simply means that people are honest and kind. Walk through the paddy fields, take some beautiful pictures and simply enjoy your time in the countryside. Rihdil hian chanchin angah hle a, tui luanchhuahna leh hnar mumal a nei lo hi a makna lai chu a ni. I loved the name Rih Dil. It cannot be visited without prior permission from the Deputy Commissioner's Office. Your email address will not be published. They had earned the title through their deeds that mainly included giving a huge community feast, killing some local wildlife and sleeping with village virgins! Hire guy-on-motorcycle to take you to Rih Dil. Day 3: Zokhawthar -Rih Dil Lake. Rih Dil gets maximum visitors from Myanmar and Mizoram in India. We are Agni and Amrita, the husband-and-wife storytelling team behind the blog Tale of 2 Backpackers. The story I have written in the post on Mizoram Travel Guide. Once we were in Mizoram, we gradually found out more and more about the state and its attractions. We had a packed schedule which included visiting Rih Dil Lake, and Chawngtlai village.The view from our Zokhawthar Tourist Lodge window confirmed that indeed we could see into Myanmar and there was the gurgling River Tiao and the iron bridge across it. I am sure the model village at Falkawn and Reiek are better maintained. We had breakfast in the hotel and left by 9.30am. And sometimes a house in the midst of the paddy fields makes for a very beautiful picture. There is an iron bridge over the river and people from both sides of the country cross the bridge at their will. It is a beautiful heart shaped lake, believed to be the passage of souls to their eternal abode and is 14 miles from Champhai in Mizoram and 63 miles from Falam, a town of Myanmar. Champhai Tourism. Geographical location is just a fact, Rih Dil finds importance in the tradition, culture and the folklore of the Mizo people. As I mentioned in the post, Rih Dil is very important culturally for the Mizos in India. You can also reach Zokawthar directly from Aizawl by shared sumos. I followed the same tips and explored Ri Dil Lake. Then we crossed the border and took another sumo from Zokawthar to Champhai. But if you want to see the vineyards in their best, then you have to visit from August to mid-September. This is definitely made me want to visit Mizoram and meet the locals. The jeep dropped us right in front of the Champhai Tourist Lodge. This heart-shaped lake is one of the more popular attractions in Champhai, located about 20km from the town. The Tiau River marks the natural boundary between India and Myanmar. At the mountain, the soul would drink pure water from a mythical spring, Lungloh Tui or the water of forgetfulness. Communicating could be a problem. Required fields are marked *. Answer 1 of 2: Planning to visit Mizoram this November. Spend a romantic afternoon at Rih Dil . We had planned to visit Vangchhia after Champhai, but somehow it did not materialize. While you are at Champhai, you must take a visit to the paddy fields. Sikkim is a beautiful state. This lake looks awesome, the colors are amazing! To all my Hindi speaking friends, let me tell you that “Dil” in the name Rih Dil does not mean heart (Dil means heart in Hindi). It would then pluck the flower Hawilo Par and put it behind the ears. They look perfectly beautiful at the backdrop of small hillocks. A unique feature of Rih Dil lake … It is a unique place. A tip: There is a school on the way to the Rih Dil. Murlen National Park. of places to visit or see in Champhai. I am sure Rih Dil would look great from above. You cannot perhaps visit Champhai without crossing the border and taking a visit to the Rih Dil Lake. More information Rih Dil (Rih Lake), Champhai District, Mizoram Your email address will not be published. It lies just two kilometers from the Harhva River, which is the natural boundary between Myanmar and Mizoram in India. The coveted place is, of course, the Pialral where only a selected few who had earned the title of ‘Thangchuah’ can enter. Champhai has charming patches of lush green paddy fields usually set in the valley between two hills and Champhai is popularly known as rice bowl of Mizoram but fast turning into a fruit bowl. Usually, you do not have to send money to book the rooms and can go there and pay upfront. However, the beauty of Champhai cannot be understood in a day. Thank you, Anwesha, but I don’t think camping is allowed beside the Rih Dil. The Mizo and Burmese share a common ancestor. Isn’t it wonderful as how these local farmers have put their faith in the hands of the faceless customers?
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