Aizawl: Ziona, who is believed to head the world’s largest family, tuned 72 on July 21.
A religious community called ‘Chana’s sect’ organized dances, parade and singing of hymns composed by Ziona to mark the day at Baktawng Tlangnuam village in central Mizoram’s Serchhip district.
The celebration ended with a community feast where more than 2,100 members of the sect attended, The Hindu reported.
Ziona, who heads the ‘Chana’s sect’, has 38 wives, 89 children and a large number of grandchildren.
The Mizo married his first wife in 1959 at the age of 15 and the last one in 2004 when he was 60.
The total, 162 family members occupy a four-storey house called ‘Chhuan Thar Run’ or New Generation Home. The village has become a major tourist attraction in the northeastern Indian state because of the family.
Pu Chana páwl, a Christian sect popularly known as “Chana,” was formed by Ziona’ father in June 1942, three years before Ziona was born. The sect survives in the mountains of Mizoram.
Ziona was featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not! top 11 strangest stories for the year 2011, and in 2013’s Ripley Believe It or Not book 9. He is proud of his large family and says that he is fortunate to be head of his largest family.
The sect practices polygamy. Its followers claim that its origin is traced to the Bible’s Revelation Chapter 20 to “Kum Sang Rorel” or the rule of 1,000 years by Jesus Christ on Earth.
The sect’s earlier version was known as Khuangtuaha Pawl, which had been founded on 12 June 1942, when its disciples were removed from Hmawngkawn village by the headman of the village for propagating a theology considered “wrong and dangerous.”
The sect celebrates its founding day as “Bawkte Kut” or the festival of the hut on June 12 every year. Members of the Chana sect number about 2,000 who reside in the Baktawng Tlangnuam village.
Baktawng is 100 km south of Aizawl, the Mizoram capital.
Ziona’s first wife Zathiangi, who is three years senior to him, controls the household activities.
Among Ziona’s 39 wives, 22 are below the age of 40 and they get a week to spend with him. He has 26 sons-in-law and his daughters live separately with their families. He says that he has named all his children and grandchildren and he remembers the names of every member of his family.
Ziona’s family is self-reliant, growing crops for their food requirements. He has also established a school for his children, and his younger brother looks after its functioning. Though teaching in the school is based on a curriculum prescribed by the government, he has added some subjects specific to his Chana sect. He does not seek any assistance from the government.
Daily family life begins at 5.50 am when all members assemble for prayers and attend to assigned duties. Prayers and meals are held in a large hall in the mansion. Dinner is served from 4 to 6 PM in the order of age, and the day comes to a close with every one retiring for the night by 9 pm when the lights are switched off.