The Valley of Death: Jatinga, the Assam village, where birds are ‘suicidal’

Assam, a northeastern state is famous for its pleasant climate, rich culture and beautiful valleys. But, it is also known for a mysterious village: Jatinga. This place only has a population of 2,500 people and it is globally famous for its phenomenon of “birds suicide.” Located over 330 kilometres south of Assam’s Guwahati, the place makes headlines every year from the month of September to November. The reason? The mass suicide of birds. The strangest thing is that birds do from 7 pm to 10 pm. Not just local birds but most migratory birds here also indulge in this act. Also read: What is the mysterious gravity hole in the Indian Ocean? Jatinga – The valley of death The Jatinga Valley is a quaint village in the Dimasa Hasao district. According to news reports, this race of suicide involves almost 40 species of local and migratory birds. Because of this, many people consider Jatinga to be among the world’s most unsettling locations. This phenomenon began in 1910. But in 1957, the general public became aware of this when British tea farmer and ornithologist EP Gee wrote about it in his book Wild Life of India. According to the Kaziranga National Park Assam website, this phenomenon is also described as the “Bermuda Triangle for Birds.”

Guwahati-based poet and award-winning author Tapati Baruah Kashyap has also questioned this phenomenon in his book titled In Love with Jatinga. As many as 24 of the 50 poems are about this village, its people, its birds, winding pathways, and more. The migratory birds that have died here include tiger bittern, little egret, black bittern, pond heron, Indian pitta and kingfishers. Other species include black drone, hill partridge, green pigeon, emerald dove, and necklaced laughing thrush. As a result, residents have the chance to capture the birds and eat them because the advent of birds is regarded as a “gift of Gods.” Also read: Mystery Mountain: Why does Mount Everest make seriously terrifying sounds at night? Various theories There is currently no reason for the mass suicides occurring in this area. However, a video that has gone viral on Instagram offers some unsettling theories. The video states, “Some believe that the village is cursed and will cause a huge catastrophic event. Others think that the excessive magnetic field in the area caused these incidents. Though more theories continue to arise, no one has been able to prove the exact explanation behind this phenomenon.”

2⃣The ‘Suicidal’ Birds of Assam

For over six decades now, birds have been ‘committing suicide’ at a place called Jatinga, about 6 km from Haflong in southern Assam. On certain nights, birds appear mysteriously in the sky and dive down to their deaths over the ridge.

📸Pixabay pic.twitter.com/sx60TPemyX

— The Weather Channel India (@weatherindia) April 5, 2019

According to reports, villages had long-held beliefs that “evil spirits” were responsible for the occurrence. Jatinga spends nine months cut off from the outer world owing to natural causes. Additionally, no one is allowed to enter the community at night. Omithologists, according to The Quint, think that when Assam floods during the monsoon, birds are compelled to move to a better environment. These birds become disoriented while flying over Jatinga, which experiences strong winds and thick fog, crash, and die. Although it is simpler to believe in the more rational argument, it is still unclear why birds are only drawn to lights between September and November, and only under extremely precise weather circumstances. DNA reported, “In an attempt to reach the lights, the birds would descend and get caught by bamboo. After the revelation behind the phenomenon, the researchers have introduced various initiatives to educate the villagers and make them understand the real reason behind the death of a large number of birds in the region.” Also read: Centre to investigate Havana Syndrome: What’s the mysterious illness plaguing US officials since 2016? With inputs from agencies