Jatinga valley: A mysterious place where birds commits “mass suicide”.
News Mania Desk/Rakshanda Bhattacharjee /28th July 2024
Assam is a tourist destination that is known globally for its historical significance and boasts of a rich legacy: from triumphant Ahom dynasty which successfully thwarted the Mughals 17 times, to the iconic one horned rhinoceros, and the esteemed Kamrup Kamakhya temple. This place will surprise you in many ways.
Among the various mystical tales surrounding Assam, many arise from Jatinga; one of the places where unexplained events and mysteries unfold every year during the late monsoon season. Located in the Dima Hasao district around 330 km to the south of the Guwahati and 9 km away from the Halflong town, Jatinga is renowned for peculiar events happening between September and November each year from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The eerie occurrence at Jatinga involves the mysterious suicide of migratory birds. During the specified months when the air is foggy, misty or cloudy various birds including tiger bittern, kingfishers and little egret are affected by this unexplained phenomena. Notably, black drone, green pigeon, hill partridge emerald dove and necklace laughing thrush among others migrate to Jatinga only to inexplicably meet their end in substantial numbers. This phenomena gained global attention in 1960s, when the late naturalist EP GEE, accompanied by renowned ornithologist visited Jatinga. The result suggested uncertain conditions at high altitude and high speed winds due to extensive fog quality during that period.
Many studies propose that the surge in bird death during September to November attribute to the flooding of water bodies in Assam, disrupting the birds natural habitat as their nests break down, migration becomes a necessity and Jatinga falls along their migratory path. Theories suggest that a combination of high altitude winds and fog leads to bird disorientation with the lights of nearby villages serving as a stabilizing attraction. Another theory suggests that the area’s climate induces a change in the magnetic qualities of underground water contributing to that bewildered state of the bird. One possible explanation for this mysterious phenomenon is the use of high-power searchlights on hilltops, attracting birds flying at that time. Birds, lured by the lights, descend onto bamboo poles, resulting in fatalities. However, not all long-distance migratory birds are affected by this occurrence. Local superstitions once attributed the mysterious bird suicides to evil spirits, but efforts by ornithologists and conservationists have been successful in dispelling these beliefs. The birds’ arrival is now understood as a natural occurrence influenced by lights from nearby houses and floodlights during specific weather conditions on moonless nights.
This transformation has allowed villagers to shift from considering the birds’ arrival as a result of evil spirits to viewing it as a ‘gift of Gods.’ Ornithologists and conservationists continue their efforts to educate the locals, resulting in significant success in dispelling superstitions and making them more informed on this fascinating phenomenon.
