How This Mizo Patriarch, Head Of World’s Largest Family With 39 Wives, Ensured Order In His Family Of More Than Thousand Members

The patriarch of ‘Chhuan Thar Run’, a massive four storey house that houses over one thousand members of a family spanning four generations at Baktawng-Tlangnuam village in Mizoram, passed away on Sunday.

Ziona Chana, 76, was not only the head of what is arguably the world’s largest family (read more about the man and his family here and here), he was also wildly polygamous (had 39 wives) and headed a small Christian sect founded by his father.

Pu Ziona (‘Pu’ is an honorific in Mizo) became a celebrity of sorts and his village, about a hundred kilometers southeast of state capital Aizawl, started attracting tourists once news of his 39 wives, 88 sons and daughters, and their children and grandchildren--most of them living in the mammoth family mansion--spread a little over a decade ago.

The patriarch’s first wife (now widowed), Zathiangi (79)--he was 17 when he married her--is the matriarch and had been running the household very efficiently.

Among her many duties were preparing the conjugal roster for Ziona’s pre-menopausal wives (now they are all widows); each of them got to spend a week at Ziona’s private apartment in the mansion. That lady had to take care of all personal needs of the patriarch during the one-week period.

Surprisingly, the huge family was free of any quarrels or rancour and even Ziona’s many wives had been living in harmony with each other. While Zathiangi was the eldest, Zuari (42) is the youngest widow. Ziona married her 17 years ago when he was 59 and she was 25!

The huge family had been consuming at least 35 kilos of meat, 50 kilos of rice, 25 kilos of vegetables and 20 kilos of pulses every day. The family used to earn enough through farming, carpentry, animal husbandry and making aluminum utensils.

Ziona’s father, Challian Chana, founded the ‘Chana Pawl’ (sect of Chana) in 1942 at Hmawngkawn village, about 60 kilometers north of Baktawng-Tlangnuam.

This sect differs from other Christian sects as far as its values and codes are concerned. Though all followers of ‘Chana Pawl’ worship Jesus, men are allowed to be polygamous.

The followers of this sect--they number over 40,000--are reputed in Mizoram for their hard work and honesty. Many of these followers are doctors, engineers, teachers and bureaucrats.

Ziona’s eldest offspring, Parliana, is 58 and is a grandfather while his (Ziona’s) youngest offspring--a daughter--is just seven years old!

All the 300-odd families in Baktawng-Tlangnuam are members of the ‘Chana Pawl’ (sect). They all follow strict codes of conduct.

The day begins at the crack of dawn (4 am during the summer months) when all able-bodied men and women congregate in front of ‘Chhuan Thar Run’, pray together, clean the streets of the village and then return to their houses.

Mondays are reserved exclusively for community work, and that includes doing household chores for the elederly, infirm or ill in the village.

Ziona’s passing away due to age-related complications brought about by diabetes and hypertension at a private hospital in Aizawl on Sunday afternoon brings the curtains down on a unique piece of Mizoram’s contemporary history.