I recently watched a video of a woman in New Zealand stopping at an unmanned vegetable stall along a quiet national highway. She picked up what she needed, placed her money in a box, and drove away. There was no shopkeeper, no CCTV camera — just trust.
At the end of the video, she mentioned something that caught my attention. She said a similar culture of honesty exists in India too, in a small state in the North-East — Mizoram.
Arriving in Aizawl — A City That Surprised Me
During 2015–16, I had the opportunity to visit Aizawl. I flew into Lengpui Airport from Kolkata after a long day that had begun early in the morning in New Delhi. Exhausted from the journey, I went straight to my hotel in Aizawl.
Being from the North-East myself, I knew that the sun sets early in this region. My hotel room was unusually quiet, and I assumed everything outside had already shut down for the evening. Around 6:30–6:45 pm, I stepped out for dinner.
What I found was completely unexpected. The streets were alive with traffic, shops were open, and daily life was moving smoothly. But what truly amazed me was something else — people were barely honking their horns. Everyone followed traffic rules calmly and patiently. It was nothing like the noisy, chaotic traffic I was accustomed to seeing in many other parts of India.
Even more striking was the sight of two-wheelers parked along the roadside with their keys still in the ignition. There was no fear, no anxiety, no locks — just complete trust in the people around them.
The next morning, I set out for Serchhip, a small town in the Serchhip district located about 888 metres above sea level. A young Mizo friend accompanied me, and we travelled in a shared Sumo cab.
Along the way, the driver casually mentioned that we had just crossed the Tropic of Cancer. For the locals, it was nothing extraordinary — merely another point on their everyday route. For me, however, it was a memorable moment that I wished I had photographed. I made a mental note to capture it on my return journey.
A Water Bottle and a Lesson in Kindness
Midway through the journey, we stopped at a small roadside restaurant for refreshments. Since I do not drink tea or coffee, I waited outside, enjoying the surrounding beauty while keeping an eye on the cab and my belongings — a laptop and a few bags. Being in an unfamiliar place, I was naturally cautious.
From where I stood, I noticed a woman walking to our cab several times before returning inside the restaurant. At first, I assumed she was another passenger and paid little attention.
After a while, everyone was ready to leave, and we resumed our journey towards Serchhip.
About ten to fifteen minutes later, I reached for my water bottle — the one I had left half-finished on the front seat. It was missing. Then I noticed that all the bottles in the cab had been neatly arranged and refilled with fresh water.
Puzzled, I turned to my local friend. He smiled and explained that the restaurant owner had quietly collected all the half-finished water bottles during the break, refilled them with fresh water, and placed them back in the vehicle. There was no charge, no announcement, and no expectation of gratitude. It was simply something she did for travellers who stopped there.
More Than Just Scenic Beauty
I cannot say with certainty whether this culture exists everywhere in Mizoram, but I encountered it repeatedly during my brief stay of three to four days.
This is a place where people trust strangers enough to leave their vehicle keys unattended, where a restaurant owner refills your water bottle without being asked, and where daily life seems to function on quiet honesty rather than strict rules and suspicion.
To outsiders, Mizoram's culture may appear unusual, but it possesses a rare and beautiful charm. Beyond its stunning hills and landscapes, visitors should come to Mizoram not only to witness nature’s beauty but also to experience the honesty and warmth of the Mizo people. Their sincerity and hospitality are truly remarkable.
More than anything else, that is what I carried back with me from Mizoram.
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*Fellow at the National Council of Applied Economic Research, New Delhi. Views are personal
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