The Hindu : National : Jatinga hosts festival to showcase mysterious bird phenomenon

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Thursday, Oct 28, 2010
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National

Jatinga hosts festival to showcase mysterious bird phenomenon

Sushanta Talukdar

Different species of local migratory birds are attracted to strong light sources

— PHOTO: RITU RAJ KONWAR

Colourful celebration: Jatinga girls perform the plate dance during the first International Jatinga Festival at Jatinga in Assam on Wednesday.

JATINGA (ASSAM): Bird watchers, nature lovers, tour operators, travel writers and tourists arrived in Jatinga village in southern Assam's Dima Hasao district on Wednesday to join the local tribes and communities for the first three-day International Jatinga Festival.

In the next few weeks, the visitors will wait for a particular weather condition and witness a rare “bird phenomenon.” On a moonless night, when the mist and fog bearing south-westerly winds blow over the Jatinga valley, different species of local migratory birds get attracted to strong light sources or “bird trap lights.” The phenomenon remains an unsolved mystery, with many theories doing the rounds.

Troupes of the Dimasa, Jaintia, Biate, Hrangkhawl, Nepali, Meitei and the Karbi tribes, in their traditional attire, danced as schoolchildren holding the national flag, village elders and youth cheered them on. The colourful inaugural function was held at the village playground.

Governor J.B. Patnaik, in his inaugural speech, said Jatinga had enormous potential to attract tourists, not just from the country, but from all over the world.

Located at the foothills of the Borail range, Jatinga is nine km away from Haflong, the only hill station in the State and the headquarters of the Dima Hasao district (erstwhile North Cachar Hills district).

Keson Suchiang, the 72-year-old headman of the Jatinga Khasi village, told The Hindu, “Jatinga was originally inhabited by the Jeme Naga people. Some Jaintia people came here in 1903 in search of suitable land for growing betel nut, and found the place very suitable. The villagers used to carry bamboo torches to scare away stray cattle, when they witnessed the bird phenomenon. The Jeme Naga villages were abandoned as they believed it was the demon coming in the form of birds. However, the Jaintias continued to live and cultivate the land and in 1905, the village was built,”

Kulendra Daulagupu, secretary-general of the festival organising committee and a member of the Dima Hasao Autonomus Council, said: “The Jatinga Festival 2010 is an attempt to regain the paradise lost due to the various socio-political dynamics and insurgency in the district. The festival is a humble effort towards spreading the message of communal harmony amongst the people of the area, sustaining peace and tranquility, emotional integration and removing the spell of despair from the mind-space of the people. And above all, the event would open up new vistas for tourism promotion.”

In the 1980s, Jatinga was a hot destination due to the bird phenomenon. However, the number declined as insurgency gripped the hill district.

Now that two major militant groups of the district — the Dima Halam Daogah and the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel faction) — have entered into a ceasefire agreement with the government, Jatinga is poised to become a favourite tourist destination again.

Eco-tourism activities like trekking to the Hempeopet Peak, visits to different community villages and tourist spots, exhibition-cum-sale of handicrafts and showcasing of ethnic cuisine, performances by music bands from Dimapur, Shillong, Guwahati, Silchar have been arranged as part of the festival.

A number of enthusiastic residents of Jatinga like school teacher Sylvia Suchiang, have extended a helping hand by arranging home-stays for the visitors and festival participants.

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