Honest trade! Merchantless Shops In Mizoram Teach Lessons In Trust And Kindness | Popgen Tech

In today’s day and age, with an increase in the number of crimes and incidents of dishonesty occurring, we have all come to protect our belongings and possessions. From homes and shops to valuables such as jewelery and cash, we ensure that all our items are protected. However, a unique tradition in a city of Mizoram has proved that trust and living in an honest and kind society can relieve you of any worries even when you leave your shop alone.

The 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 with no vendors. Instead, each store has a storage box nearby. The store allows you to take whatever you want and leave the money for the total bill in the box. Confidence is the key factor here.

Many shops along the highway offer various goods such as fruits, vegetables and flowers. Shop owners sell whatever they collect from their farms and the surrounding mountains and forests.

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

Faith in humanity restored

Photos and videos of these ‘honesty shops’ often go viral on social media and win people’s hearts. Recently, a post about these shops by Awanish Sharan, an IAS officer from Chhatisgarh, caught the attention of netizens.

The comment section was flooded with positive responses from people who admired the confidence of the Mizo community. These wooden stands on the highways of Mizoram reaffirm people’s faith in honesty and generosity.

Undoubtedly, the people of Seling have shown the world that business practices, when done with respect for one’s hard work and faith in humanity, can make society a better place.

Also Read: Mizoram Man Creates Record, Becomes First Mizo To Pedal More Than 1,500 Km In A Single Cycling Expedition