Global InformationZiona information
Ziona | |
|---|---|
| Born | Zionnghaka 21 July 1945 Baktawng village, Assam Province, British India |
| Died | 13 June 2021 (aged 75) Aizawl, Mizoram, India |
| Known for | Fathering the largest living family |
| Spouses | 39 |
| Children | 94 |
Ziona (born Zionnghaka; 21 July 1945 – 13 June 2021)[1] was the leader of Lalpa Kohhran Thar (meaning "The Lord's New Church"), informally referred to as Chana Pâwl or Chhuanthar Kohhran ("The Church of New Generation"), a polygamy-practising Christian sect in Mizoram, India.[2][3] He was often referred to as a world record holder for being the head of the "world's largest existing family"[4][5] or the "world's biggest family".[6] In 2011, as officials of the Guinness World Records made verification, he refused the world record title as he shunned publicity.[7] His family was nonetheless listed as the "Biggest Family" in the world in 2011 by the World Record Academy,[8] and The Wall Street Journal in 2011,[9] and then by the London World Records in 2019.[10]
The religious sect he led was formed by his uncle Khuangtuaha in 1942 as a millennialist denomination, which survives in Serchhip district in Mizoram state of India, sharing borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar.[11] After migration from Hmawngkawn village, the sect settled in Baktawng village Mizoram, India.[12] In 1997, Ziona succeeded his father Chana, who in turn had succeeded Khuangtuaha in 1966. He had 39 wives, 94 children, 14 daughters-in-law, 33 grandchildren and one great grandchild; 181 family members in total and counting. His family and their four-story residence are one of the major tourist attractions in Mizoram.[13][14] He was featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not! top 11 strangest stories for the year 2011,[15] and in 2013's Ripley Believe It or Not book 9.[16][17][18]
- ^ Nath, Hemanta Kumar (13 June 2021). "Mizoram's Ziona Chana, head of world's largest family, passes away at 76". India Today. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ "Ziona Chana: Head of 'world's largest family' dies in India's Mizoram state". BBC News. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ Gupta, Swati; Rahim, Zamira (14 June 2021). "The head of the 'world's biggest family' has died at age 76". CNN. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ Panwar, Sanya (3 March 2016). "Travelling to Mizoram: Why you must make plans (Like right now!)". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ Delhi, Amrit Dhillon (14 June 2021). "Ziona Chana, head of 'world's largest family', dies — leaving 38 widows". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- ^ McCoy, Terrence (14 April 2014). "Indian politicians court man with 'world's biggest family:' 39 wives, 127 offspring". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:2was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:9was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:10was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:11was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Man has 39 wives, nearly 100 children". Reuters. 22 February 2011. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ "Family: Ziona Chana has 39 wifes and 94 children: a world record (Video)". Worldrecord Academy. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:3was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Chaturvedi, Amit (15 June 2021). "Family of Mizoram's Ziona claims he's still alive, refuses to perform last rites". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ "Indian with 39 wives, 94 kids is the strangest story of 2011". The Hindu. 16 December 2011. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
- ^ Gregory, Andrew (21 October 2011). "World's largest family with 181 members live in 100-room, four-storey house in India". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 21 June 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ Ripley's Entertainment Inc. (27 August 2013). Ripley's Special Edition 2014. Scholastic. pp. 42–. ISBN 978-0-545-62260-8.
- ^ "Reviews in Brief". Ripley's Believe It or Not. Ripley Entertainment Inc. 11 November 2012. Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.