A photo from open sources
The Jating Valley, located in India, is considered one of the most mysterious places on our planet.
Manna from heaven
Here hundreds of birds crashing from the sky three times a year to death. This scares scientists with its inexplicability, although local residents highly appreciate such an anomaly – many of these birds do not only edible, but also very tasty. Researchers of this unique phenomena still cannot determine why feathered commit mass suicides here. Obviously the phenomenon needs careful study.
The first message about the mystical property of the Jating Valley appeared in 1957 in the book of the English tea grower E.P. Gee. A European visiting the Indian state of Assam was amazed when ended up in a strange place where birds are flying rapidly down and crashing to the ground. Satisfied natives at the same time go and collect fresh carcasses, considering such a “birdfall” a real manna from heaven. The Briton immediately rushed to include this information in his work, dedicated to the nature of India.
The world scientific community has accepted the story of E.P. Gee about abnormal valley as a fortune. However, there were such people of science who wanted to verify the veracity of words Briton. So, one of the Indian zoologists decided to personally witness “birdfall” and in 1960 went to Jatinga. Researcher for Sengupta received permission from compatriots attend the bird gathering festival and started looking expect an upcoming event.
Gift for Righteousness
It is worth noting that the Jating Valley is a hollow between the mountains, in which there is one small village. When the summer is coming to an end, the locals have a celebration which people from neighboring villages are happy to visit. On the central in the street, the peasants throw large piles of brushwood and set fire to them. Moreover, the mood of all those present is the most joyful.
Closer to midnight, hundreds of birds fly into the valley. They start circling over bonfires, after which they rise high into the sky and from there rush to the ground. Poultry usually lasts a few minutes. After this the Indians collect feathered, pluck them and cook from received meat various holiday dishes. Such a gift from heaven the devout inhabitants of the valley are perceived as a reward with side of higher powers for the fact that villagers behave righteously way. “Birdies” occur two or three nights of August, while this phenomenon has been repeated for at least half a century, although they themselves the natives are sure that this manna of heaven has been granted to them where earlier.
Sengupta managed to catch a couple of birds during the holiday without giving them to commit suicide. Locking rescued birds into cages, scientist noticed that the birds behaved listlessly and inhibited. They refused drink and eat, but after a while they completely go around, and the specialist let them out. Zoologist suggests that bird suicides are caused by local geophysical anomalies and unusual state of the atmosphere. The theory is also advanced that some cosmic processes falling at the end of summer are to blame.
But what’s interesting, birds fly only on one side of the forest massif of the valley (although they live on both) only when the south wind blows and only on moonless nights. And they certainly fly to the fires, although scientists lured them with bright lights …
Time India Birds
