India, July 17 -- A fresh batch of over 4,000 refugees last month fled the violence-hit Myanmar to Mizoram's Zokhawthar village, already bursting at the seams since the beginning of the crisis in the neighbouring country. Ngurchhawna, a Zokhawthar resident, has been sheltering 25 refugees. He is not alone, as Mizoram, with a population of just over a million, faces an overwhelming refugee influx.

Zokhawthar, a village of around 5,000 people, alone hosts over 8,000 refugees. Many households are accommodating up to 25 refugees. "We do not even have time for ourselves and are sheltering almost double our village population," Ngurchhawna said.

Residents say Tlawmngaihna, a central tenet of Mizo culture, relating to selflessness, altruism, a...