LAL UPA IN (CHIEF'S ELDER HOUSE)
The chief's elder house is normally constructed near the chief's residence. It has a raised platform called Leikapui in front of the house. The staircase leading to the porch is called Kaiten. In the front porch called Sumhmun, a wooden mortar and pestle for husking rice are neatly kept. On the sides of the Sumhmun are kept a small fowl-house, chicken basket and a basket for eggs. Inside the house, one can see Tui-um placed near the wall on the left. On the right, opposite to the place where bamboo Tui-um are kept is the Khum-ai. Just by the side of Khum-ai is the fire place called Tap. Near Khum-ai is kept rice bin and below it are kept fire-woods as it is near the fire place. This fire place is walled up with timber logs on the sides. This timber lining towards the floor is called Dawhthleng. The little space between the floor and Dawhthleng is used to keep knives, doas, swords etc. The timber lining towards the wall is called Dawhchho. The mound of earth at the back of the fire-place to prevent the wall from fire is called Tapchal. This walled enclosure of the fire-place with its timber lining is called Tapchhak. By the side of this Tapchhak towards the back of the house is the room for the master bed (Khumpui in Mizo). One of the bamboo bed post of Khumpui has a hole drilled on it which serves as a receptacle for small articles. This bed-post is called Tungchaw. A partition wall is made by the side of Khumpui towards the rear of the house called Banglai. Normally spears, swords and guns are tucked firmly on this Banglai. The floor area between the side wall and Tapchhak is called Chhuatthlang. The space between Banglai and the rear wall is called Banglaichhung. This area is normally dark and children are scared to venture into this place. The floor of the house is made of coarse bamboo matting. This house have a door and a window but Bahzar is not to be found here.
