Commercially Honest! Shops Without Shopkeepers In Mizoram Teach Lesson In Trust & Kindness

In today's day and age, with an increase in the number of crimes and incidents of dishonesty coming to light, we have all become protective of our belongings and property. From homes and shops to valuables like jewellery and cash, we ensure that all our items are safeguarded. However, a unique tradition in a Mizoram town has proved that trusting and living in an honest and kind society can relieve you of any worries even when you leave your shops unattended.

Ethos Of Trust

Seling, a small town not far from Mizoram's capital Aizawl, is home to a local community that follows an intriguing tradition. Called 'Nghah Lou Dawr', the tradition involves shops that do not have any shopkeepers. Instead, each store has a safe deposit box nearby. The store allows you to take whatever you want and leave the money amounting to the total bill in the box. Trust is the key factor here.

Numerous stores along the highway offer several commodities such as fruits, vegetables and flowers. Shop owners sell whatever they gather from their farms and the surrounding mountains and forests.

Nghah Lou Dawr has its roots in the shared sense of community and the ethos of trust. Another reason for this practice is it allows the farmers to sell their products while simultaneously working on the farms located far from the road.

Faith In Humanity Restored

Pictures and videos of these 'honesty shops' often become viral on social media and win people's hearts. Recently, a post about these shops by Awanish Sharan, an IAS officer from Chhatisgarh, garnered netizens' attention.

The comment section was flooded with positive responses from people admiring the Mizo community's trust. These wooden stalls along the highways in Mizoram reaffirm people's faith in honesty and generosity.

Undoubtedly, the residents of Seling have shown the world that trade practices, when carried out with respect for someone's hard work and trust in humanity, can make society a better place.

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