Not often do we hear of the practice of polygamy being promoted in Indian society, but in Tlangnuam Baktawng village of Serchhip district, Mizoram, it's quite the opposite. Forget the idea of a man getting married to more than one woman; here a man marrying even a dozen women is not such a big deal!
An hours' drive away from Aizawl - the capital city of Mizoram, is Tlangnuam Baktawng village which houses about 300 households and 2000 followers of the Christian denomination known as the 'Lalramkawngpuizawhtu'.
Under this sect, a man is allowed to have more than one wife or solemnize plural marriages on the basis of mutual consent, understanding, respect for each other and most of all - love.
The principle of 'Lalramkanwgpuizawhtu' bears a similarity with the Mormon fundamentalism or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Both the doctrines are associated with advocacy of polygamy. However, the principal no longer holds to mainstream Mormon followers today.
The term 'Lalramkawngpuizawhtu' in the local Mizo dialect means 'The followers of God' and their place of worship is called 'Hnamthlanrunpui'.
The head honcho of this Christian sect is Ziona, a 67 year old practicing polygamist man surrounded by a gaggle of women round the clock. Not only is he the leader of the church, but also the head of the largest family in the world!
According to sources and family members, Ziona has 39 wives, 86 children, 14 daughters in-law and 34 grand-children all living under one roof in a huge mansion which they lovingly call 'Chhuanthar Run' meaning 'House of new generation'. All together, the 174 members of the Ziona family live in Chhuanthar Run or in short (C.T.R), in a rather military-like fashion!
However,if we add the grand-children from the side of his daughters who do not stay in Chhuanthar Run, the number climbs to 121 grand children. So, Ziona's big happy family gets counted to about 209 members.
The original founder of 'Lalramkangpuizawhtu', however is Chalianchana, the father of Ziona. Not one to be left behind, during his time he married seven women and had 29 children, 15 daughters and 14 sons.
After Chalianchana's death, Ziona, being the eldest of them, took the responsibility of the Church and carried on with the principles of 'Lalramkangpuizawhtu'. He is respected, loved and dearly called 'Ka pa' which means 'my father' by all in the village.
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