Mizo calendar


The Mizo calendar is a traditional lunisolar calendar utilized by the Mizo people of northeast India.
This calendar comprises 12 months, each closely associated with the cultural, agricultural, and spiritual practices of the Mizo people.
Traditionally, the Mizo people observed the moon's phases. They counted approximately 14 days from the moon's first appearance in the sky to its full moon phase. Similarly, they believed it took another 14 days for the moon to fade completely after the full moon stage. The 15th night, when the moon neither fully waxed nor waned, was considered unique and not part of either phase. Based on these calculations, each lunar month was determined to be 29 days long.

Months

Summer solstice

The Mizo people identified the 21st day of the Nikir month as the longest day of the year, known in modern terms as the summer solstice. They referred to this day as Lalmanga Nu Lawmrawih Ni—a name rooted in an enduring local folktale. The term Nikir translates to "returning of the sun."
According to tradition, a widow called Lalmanga Nu recognised the significance of this day and annually encouraged her friends to work in her jhum fields on the 21st day of Nikir to maximize labour input during the longest day. After Lalmanga Nu Lawmrawih Ni, the Mizo believed that the sun began its "return," causing days to grow progressively shorter.

Key dates