Saizahawla

Saihazawla was born in 1858 to Chalpuaa and Tuahnuii of the Hmar clan. It is reputed that from childhood Saihazawla carried significant strength. Saihazawla learnt to wrestle at home by himself instead of most other boys who would learn in the zawlbuk. Upon coming of age Saihazawla chose an occupation as a blacksmith and Mizo priest.^[1][2]

After his village was raided by an enemy raiding party, Saihazawla chased after the raiders by himself. During the chase in the jhum fields, Saihazawla managed to slay a raider and take the head. However, before he could take the head to his village, the rest of the raiding party began to pursue him. Saihazawla did not know the countryside well and decided to not hide. On the assumption that the raiders would think he would run to his village, Saihazawla walked towards the opposite direction and hid in a bush.^[3][2] Despite a lengthy search, the raiders could not find Saihazawla. Exhausted from the search, the raiders left, and Saihazawla managed to reach home safely. The village granted him a hero's welcome. Chief Pawibawia, in reward of Saihazawla's bravery, conferred him the privilege of first selection of jhum plots and a house site in the village.^[4][5]

Another time, Saihazawla and two of his friends Khawzathanga and Ekchhetea went on a headhunting expedition towards some Hmar villages. At Pherzawl in Manipuir, Saihazawla decided to test the fighting power of the village. He entered the zawlbuk where he was unrecognized and waited for everyone to sleep. Going forward with his plan, Saihazawla went to each house and poured water down the barrels of the guns except for three which he would take as trophies. They decided to tell their chief that the headhunting succeeded but it was too distant to carry the heads hence they took the guns. Under the confidence of the lie, they would receive a Mi-Lu Lam, a headhunting festival for successful warriors. The festival required proof of hair, scalp or a head in order to be demanded of the village.^[4] Saihazawla did not respond to the scheme his friends had planned which they assumed for him to be complicit. They also made a promise that if the truth was revealed a fine of one mithun would have to be paid.^[6][7]

Saihazawla and his friends arrived and a festival was prepared however Saihazawla did not make an appearance. When a messenger was sent for him, Saihazawla exposed the truth to the village. His friends who demanded a find of one mithun was rebuffed by Saihazawla who stated that each of them received a gun from him worth more than a mithun.^[6][7]

In traditional Mizo sports, Saihazawla was reputed to be unbeatable. This was especially noted in javelin throw, shotput and wrestling. Despite being a champion, Saihazawla followed a code of honor to not humiliate his opponents. He would tend to carry 1.5 maunds of stones in bags on him. One story retells how Saihazawla pushed down a bamboo grove uprooted during a cyclone by himself despite other groups of villagers failing. In wrestling Saihazawla also fought animals. He fought a mihthun and a bison which he would throttle with their horns and win. After the British takeover in the Chin-Lushai Expedition, the British would introduce tug of war. Saihazawla would also master himself the champion of this sport.^[6]

Superintendent Major Granville Henry Loch invited seventy chiefs and their best champions to participate in a tug of war competition. Saihazawla was one of the invitees and his team won every round. Some rumours were spread that some teams could not beat Saihazala on his own even. In the finals of the tournament, Saihazawla's team in the finals were meant to fight with the Indian soldiers but Loch called it off to not disrepute the military.^[8] Saizahawla instead made his name known by singlehandedly winning a tug of war with ten punjabi workers.^[9]

Saihazawla in his later years migrated from Selling to Khawruhlian. A small village was established by the British to provide labour for public works projects which Saihazawla in his old age contributed to with ease. Saihazawla died via poisoning from Manipuri Hmar tribesmen.^[8][10]

Saihazawla was one of the Pasalṭha names chosen for the battalions of the Dagger Bridge under the Mizo National Front uprising.^[11][9]