A Mystery Yet To Be Uncovered! Birds Have Committed Suicide In This Assam Village Every Year Since Centuries

A tranquil village located in the Barail range of Assam has a morbid secret - it is known as the 'Valley of Death', where birds commit suicide every year. Every night from 6 pm to 9:30 pm, during September and October, most migratory birds passing through Jatinga plummet to their death on a specific 1.5 km street.

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As the sun sets, hundreds of birds descend on the village and fly full speed towards buildings and trees, crashing to their deaths.

Generated tremendous interest in wildlife circles

Jatinga was initially inhabited by the Zeme Nagas, who came across the bird phenomenon while guarding their paddy fields on a moonless, dark night. Frightened, the Nagas sold the land to Jaintias and left the place way back in 1905.

Jaintias, the new inhabitants of Jatinga, also witnessed the phenomenon but interpreted it as a gift from the gods. "The phenomenon has generated tremendous interest in wildlife circles across the world and has made Jatinga world famous," an official noted.

The earliest reference to this phenomenon was made by E.P. Gee, a British tea planter, in his book "Wild Life of India" in 1957. The Zoological Survey of India had sent a team to visit the place in 1977. Later, leading ornithologists from Europe, the US and Japan also studied the mystery.

Mystery still unsolved

Is it really suicide or something else?

Some believe that the village is cursed.

A few bird specialists attribute the phenomenon to the electro-magnetic forces of Jatinga, which is surrounded by geographical faultlines all around.

"It is not a suicide, to be precise. But the fact remains that birds are attracted by light and fly towards any object with a light source. This phenomenon still puzzles bird specialists," said Anwaruddin Choudhury, a well-known ornithologist in Assam, on the sidelines of the First International Jatinga Festival.

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Birds that have been sighted here over the years include the kingfisher, Indian pitta, green-breasted pitta, green pigeon, black drongo, racket-tailed drongo, whistling ducks, spotted doves, emerald doves, and grey heron. But come September, and the locals brace for the ghastly sight.

However, no conclusive evidence has emerged till now - the deaths remain a mystery till today.

The 'suicide', however, is just one part of the mystery. The more baffling question is why the birds fly after sunset at all, as research shows that most birds are diurnal, that is, active only during the day.

The late Salim Ali, the country's pre-eminent ornithologist, too was struck by this oddity. "The most puzzling thing to me about this phenomenon is that so many species of diurnal resident birds should be on the move when, by definition, they should be fast asleep. The problem deserves a deeper scientific study from various angles," he had written.

The deaths, though perplexing, are not mourned. Locals are quick to trap the birds using bamboo sticks, which are then consumed with relish.

How to visit Jatinga

Those desiring a first-hand experience of the phenomenon can visit Haflong - with Silchar (110 km) and Guwahati (350 km) as the nearest airports.

Jatinga/ tourmyindia.com

If travelling by train, board a broad gauge train from Guwahati till Lumding, from where another meter-gauge train will take you to Haflong.

The route from Lumding to Haflong passes through many tunnels, and it is an exciting journey somewhat resembling the Kalka-Shimla track. By road, it takes around 10-11 hours as you have to negotiate bumpy roads.

Image courtesy: Travelatus