The meaning of the term Lawngtlai in the Lawngtlai District is a jargon, which stands for a boat which is late. Lalpuchhuana initially used it at the incident which happened to him. Actually what happened is that, he was waiting for a boat, but he unsuccessful in getting to it in time. He then tolerantly waited for the subsequent boat to come; however, he dozed away and had a nap below a tree. The boat was not there when afterwards he woke up. He got angry and uttered the word Lawngtlai by looking up at the sky. The word meant late boat. But what actually happened is, the second time also, the boat came and went away while he was in a slumber.

The northern frontier of the district is shared by the districts of Lunglei and the southern frontier is shared by the district of Saiha. Lai and Chakma are the tribal communities which form a section of Mizorams the lesser tribal groups. These groups reside in the district and thus form the major population of the district. Agriculture forms the principal profession of the district, which creates most of the earnings of the rural people. The terrain of the district is undulating and hilly; although the Chamdur valley contains a thin tapered band of region of low elevation.

The southwestern section of the state of Mizoram contains the district of Lawngtlai. It has, on the western side, a borderline with the country of Bangladesh and on the southern side, a borderline with the country of Myanmar. The northern frontier of the district is shared by the districts of Lunglei and the southern frontier is shared by the district of Saiha. On the western side, the major part of the border is made by the river named Thega and on the eastern side, the border if formed by the river named Kaladan with the district of Saiha. The terrain of the district is undulating and hilly; although the western part of the Chamdur valley contains a thin tapered band of region of plain land. The rainy months witnesses the frequent occurrence of landslides. A thick blanket of untouched forest is situated on the western section of the district. The Kaladan River, Tuichong River, the Chhimtuipui River, the Ngengpui River, the Chawngte River and the Tuiphal River are the major rivers of the district.

Lawngtlai History

The native chieftains governed over the region of the present district of Lawngtlai before the British came during the later phase of the 19th century. A solitary village or a little cluster of villages was under the authority of these chieftains. A British inspection group of people, who came to the village of Fungkah, was harassed and assaulted by the chief of the village in the year 1888. A particular Lt. Stewart and another three men were killed by the chief. A disciplinary mission was sent by the British government, in the next year, in order to set calmness and peace in the region. The South Lushai Hills included into itself the area, which later came into existence as the district of Lawngtlai. Bengals lieutenant Governor, governed over this place. The Lushai Hills District and the North and South Lushai Hills were amalgamated in the year 1898. As a section of Assam only, this place was governed over. The Government of India Act stated the Lushai Hills with the addition of the some other hills district as Backward Tracts in the year of 1919.

The status of exclude area was afterwards given to it in the year of 1935 and the previous declaration was abolished. The final remaining authority of the native chieftains was taken away upon the construction of the Lushai Hills Autonomous District Council in the year 1952. In the year 1972, the construction of the Union Territory of Mizoram took place. Along with this occurrence, this region acceded into the state of Mizoram and it remained in the same place, when the construction of the state took place in the year 1987. The region of the existing district of Lawngtlai was initially a section of the district of Chhimtuipui. The Lawngtlai Rural Development Block and the Chawngte Rural Development Block are the two rural improvement blocks, which the existing region of the Lawngtlai district was divided into. Lawngtlai is the administrative headquarters of the Lawngtlai Rural Development Block and Chawngte is the administrative headquarters of the Chawngte Rural Development Block. On 11th November, 1998, the status of a distinct district was given to the district of Lawngtlai.

Lawngtlai Climate

A reasonable weather prevails in the district of Lawngtlai. The summer months are cool and the winter months are not that cold also. 8 Celsius to 24 Celsius is the temperature range during the months of winter. 18 Celsius and 32 Celsius is the temperature range in the months of summer. The altitude of the western section of the district is less than the altitude of the eastern section. As a result a slight warmer weather prevails in the western section. The southwest monsoon period experience the most relative humidity, which goes up to 85 percent. Southwest monsoon affects the district in a direct manner and it causes an intense rainfall in the months between May and September each year. 2558 mm is the standard yearly precipitation of the district. Each year, the months between March and August experiences the period of maximum heat. Dense clouds cover the skies in the rainy months. After the month of March, amount of clouds starts increasing and it gets cloudier. Following the month of September the climate starts getting clearer and less warm. Till the month of January the weather remains this way.

 Lawngtlai Culture

Lais, Chakmas, Tongchangya Bawm, Pang and many others are the major groups residing in the district of Lawngtlai. These tribal groups retain special traditions and customs of their own. These groups reside in the districts eastern section; here the Lai community forms the major part of the residents. The major cultural dance forms are the Chawnglaizawnh, Sarlamkai and Pawhlohtlawh. The backward categories of tribes of various types are there in the Chakma dominated district. Buddhism dominates this region; however in the eastern section which includes the region occupied by Lai, Christianity pre-dominates. Lai, Chakma, Tongchangya and different dialects of other backward tribes such as Pang, Bru, Bawm and many others are the languages are widely prevalent. Various forms of fold dance, folk dance and folk myths are prevalent amongst these groups. Nua Jhumo Naach and Biju Naach are the widespread cultural dance forms here.