Aizawl

Introducing Aizawl

Balanced precariously on a razor-sharp ridge, Aizawl (pronounced eye-zole) could well be the world’s steepest capital. Homes at road level might be held there with rear stilts three times higher than their roofs. In comparison, San Francisco seems as flat as Florida.

Addresses refer to areas and junctions (‘points’ or ‘squares’). The unnamed spaghetti of roads and steep linking stairways are confusing, but the central ridge road is reasonably flat linking Zodin Sq (old bus station), Upper Bazaar (shops), Zarkawt (hotels and long-distance sumos) and Chandmari (east Mizoram sumos). This section is walkable, although appalling rush-hour traffic creates suffocating fumes.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009