A place called Buannel is featured in many Mizo folk lores and Mizo folk tales. It is so because when the ancestors migrated from China to the present Mizoram they passed through this place. The Mizo ancestors believed that Buannel is the abode of “lasi”, meaning the fabled creator of animals and the spirit which presides over hunting. A male lasi called Lalchungnunga fell in love with a girl by the name of Chawngtinleri. Chawngtinleri had a brother, Lianchia, who was not willing to give his sisterin marriage to Lalchungnunga. However, Lalchungnunga with the help of his fellow lasi ultimately succeeded in pursuading Lalchungnunga. Once married to a lasi, Chawngtinleri created all the animals in Buannel. Buannel thus became the habitat of wild animals of all kinds. But it is said that Chawngtinleri often wished to turn back to human form. So, she often scratched the ground with her feet. Therefore, there is a place in Buannel called “Chawngtinleri thaikawi”.

It is no wonder that students of Mizo department of our college want to visit this place. This place is now in Myanmar. Students of Fifth Semester Mizo Department, 15 in number and with one teacher, after a long preparation, set out on 4th February, 2018, at 9:00 pm, headed to Buannel. At 2:45 pm the next day they arrived at Zokhawthar village at the Indo-Myanmar border. Here, they encamped at the Government Middle School building. Buannel is still quite far from Zokhawthar. They had to go by vehicle. They managed to hire a Myanmarese vehicle. Also they managed to get permission from the Myanmar army. At 3:00 am the next day they got up and prepared tiffin. At 7:53 am they set off to Buannel. They had their meal at 10:30 am at Hmunluah. From this place they had to go on foot to Buannel, which is about 5 miles away. They had to climb five mountains. At 4:17 pm they arrived at Buannel.

Buannel is on a mountain called “Len tlang” which is now in Myanmar. It has a good number of large areas of forest clearings surrounded by thick forests. In Buannel there is a stream called “Sih”which has a winding course. Since they were not allowed to stay the night they had to go back to Hmunluah. The next day they set out again to Buannel. They toured a large area of Buannel.

The students could now actually see with their own eyes the landscape and vegetation of Buannel. They felt it was worth the troubles, hardships and their endeavour.