Pala Tipo (Mara Language for 'Swallowing Lake') or Palak Dil (Lushei language, which does not seems to connote any meaning) is the largest lake in Mizoram, Northeast India.This cool and virgin Forest is located near Phura village in Siaha District, within the Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC). Its geographical location falls under the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, and is therefore rich in animal and plant species.The reserve forest harbours mammalian wildlife such as enormous pachyderm like Elephant, Big Cats such as Tigers, Leopards and many varieties of other wild animals, fascinating specimen of birds, plethora of reptiles, amphibians, insects and a rich collection of flowering trees an medicinal plants. The reserve forest is a pristine and precious ecosystem endowed with rich biodiversity. The area around Pala Lake is being developed as a tourist resort with water sports facility.
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| PALA TIPO |
ORIGIN
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| The Magnificent Pala Tipo |
According to oral history of Mara people Pala Tipo is said to be formed around 800-1200 CE. It coincided with the period of westward migration of Mara people from Burma. The origin of Pala Tipo is a well known folktale among Mara people. According to Mara legend the location area was originally a big village called Hnychao. There were about 300 families. At the center of the village was a large rock, underneath of which was a cave inhabited by a giant serpent. Villagers soon noticed that children playing around the rock frequently disappeared. At night their llivestock animals were missing too. The village hunters caught the serpent using a gigantic fishing pole, and using a goat (or dog in other version) as a bait. From this point there are two versions:
1. They killed the snake and the meat was distributed to all families. A widow with two children happened to get a share of the head. When she cooked it, the eyes were blinking and rolling, staring at her. Frightened, she threw the cooking pot into the street. When she looked out, their doorstep was being flooded and fled for life with her children. The pool rose to a lake submerging the entire habitation and drowning the rest of the villagers. The lake was eventually called Pala Tipo.
2. In an alternate version, when they caught the snake they could not completely haul out its body and cut it in the middle. The bottom half fell back into the cave with massive thunder. It created an upsurge of water from the cave, submerging the whole village. This became a permanent lake and was called Pala Tipo, literally meaning a "swallowing or submerging lake.
HOW TO REACH PALA TIPO (PALA LAKE)
Pala Tipo is situated within Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC), one of the three autonomous district councils in the southernmost part of the state of Mizoram. It is about 76 km away from Siaha, the headquarters of MADC. It can be reached by small/light vehicles only. There are villages such as Phura, Tokalo, which are in close proximity. Phura is the main route for visitors.
By Air - Pala Lake Reserve Forest is nearly 380 kilometers way from Aizawl. Nearest major airport is Lengpui Airport. Aizawl, the capital town of Mizoram is linked by Alliance Air Service everyday to Kolkata nearly 1 hour 45 minutes, Guwahati is 40 minutes and Imphal is 30 minutes. Indian Airlines connects Aizawl to rest of India via Guwahati, Imphal and Kolkata. Lengpui airport at Aizawl is connected with Guwahati, Silchar & Kolkata. It is well connected to all the capital cities of the north eastern states of India.
