Around India Through Its Most Baffling Natural Phenomena

We’ve all witnessed the mind-boggling visuals a multitude of nature-oriented shows have spewed at us over the years growing up, especially thanks to our notorious TV-watching sessions post school hours. Bioluminescent tides, volcanic rocks, Fox fire, nacreous clouds, you name it. It goes without saying that in a country as large and diverse in its landscape as ours, India’s sheltering more than a few of its own incredibly unique natural phenomena. So we did some digging and came up with a few rather intriguing things we can witness right here on home turf. 

I. Red Rain, Kerala

Monsoons in India are prone to bringing along a few surprises every now and then but Kerala was left in a state of shock when there was a heavy downpour of red rain between 25th July to 23rd September 2001. First thought to be because of a meteor burst, various theories have popped up since then. Some say that it is because of airborne spores and red coloured algae, while some even suspect it to be extraterrestrial body cells. Kerala has had a history of coloured rains, the first of which was reported in 1896, and more recently, in 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2012. Similarly, yellow, green and black rain has also been reported.

II. St. Mary’s Islands, Karnataka

 A set of four beautiful, completely inhabited islands off Karnataka, the St. Mary’s islands have been formed due to volcanic activity and depositions of Basaltic rocks millions of years ago. The vertical columns of rocks make it seem like they have been hand carved but are, in fact, completely natural. Legend has it that Vasco Da Gama stumbled upon these islands on his way to Kerala, fixed a cross upon it, and christened it “O Padrão de Santa Maria” as a dedication to Mother Mary, which gave it its current name. The set of islands, one of its kind in India, is considered to be one of the 26 Geological Monuments of India.

III. Chandipur Beach, Orissa

Situated in a little-known part of Orissa, the Chandipur beach is one of the few beaches of its kind in the world. During the ebb tide, the water recedes by as much as 1-4 kilometres, and returns back to the shoreline during high tide. Due to this phenomenon, it is a haven for marine life, and a lot of unique flora and fauna can be found here. Furthermore, you can easily walk almost a kilometre or more into the ocean and its shallow depths and explore it when the water recedes.

IV. The Magnetic Hill, Leh-Kargil-Batalik National Highway

Located about 30 kms from Leh, the Magnetic Hill is self-explanatory in its title. It is said to have magnetic properties which attracts metallic objects and has been known to allegedly make vehicles move up the slope at speeds of 20km/hr and more even when the engines are turned off! In reality though, this phenomena has been explained away as an optical illusion resulting from a completely or mostly obstructed horizon. As such, judging the slope of a surface is difficult as there is no reliable reference so the slope which appears upwards is actually a slightly downward sloping hill.

V. Floating Islands, Manipur

Situated in Loktak Lake, the largest lake in North-East India, the floating islands are very rare. Although floating islands exist all around the world, the ones in Manipur float due to years of natural accumulation of vegetation, soil and other organic matter, a collection of which is called ‘Phumdis.’ A unique tourist destination, the floating islands are also home to the world’s largest floating park, called Keibul Lamjao Natural Park.

VI. Salt Desert, Rann of Kutch

The salt desert in the Rann of Kutch is the largest in the world. Completely uninhabited, the desert is about 7,600 sq.kms in size, it is also home to one of the largest international borders of India. Apart from being picture-perfect, the salt desert is also famous for its varied temperatures, which can go up to 40 degrees during the day, and fall to less than zero by night.

VII. Mass birds’ suicide, Assam

Picture this: After monsoon, a flock of birds, all of a sudden, plummet to their deaths, exactly between 6 to 9.30 pm, within a one mile strip in a village. Something right out of a book, right? Well, this book would be fall under the non-fiction category. This phenomenon can be witnessed in the small village of Jatinga in Assam, which has left the villagers flustered and confused. Apparently, it has been going on for over a century. There have been a few theories about this place, some of which state that it could be because of the strong magnetic fields, or because the birds get confused due the lights, but no plausible conclusions have been drawn yet.

VIII. Chir Batti, Gujarat

Another picture for painting purposes--you’re walking through the marshy wetlands at night and all of a sudden, you see various multicoloured lights as bright as mercury lights moving in all directions in the darkness. This is exactly what happens in the Banni Grasslands in Gujarat. This inexplicable phenomenon scares the living daylights out of the locals (no pun intended) who call it the “Char Batti” which means “Ghost Lights”. Although it is seemingly paranormal, scientists say this is because of organic decay of phospine and methane, which leads to photo emissions. Locals, on the other hand, say that the lights “follow them” and sometimes, play hide and seek with them. Well, we leave it to you to pick a side.

IX. Boulder Fields, Hampi

The ombipresent acres of ‘boulder fields’ strewn across Hampi are probably one of the best known natural phenomena on this list but it doesn’t make it any less impressive. Towering at massive heights, tucked between and around ruins of the ancient city of Vijayanagara, most travelers will agree that the city that’s rumoured to have been the home of Hindu’s monkey god, Hanuman, is one of the most spectacular sights you can see both in India and anywhere else in the world. Besides, this is also the only naturaly phenomena you can quite literally use for physical sport as thousands of tourists every year make their way over to indulge in a little bouldering.

X. Bioluminescence, Lakshwadeep Islands

Few things are as beautiful to witness in nature as the glow-in-the-dark natural phenomena that’s been aptly called ‘bioluminescence.’ Though this occurs all over the world, it’s still a rare site and India’s Lakshwadeep Islands has had the highest frequency of spottings of the same. Caused by a species of phytoplankton (microorganisms) that eit light in response to stress, water lights up in an almost haunting way when provoked by movement of any kind. The phenomena cannot be predicted but if you visit these islands for a few days there’s a high likelihood that you’ll spot it whilst taking late night walks on the beach.

XI. Valley Of Flowers, Uttarakhand

Much like Hampi, this may be one of the better known phenomenas on the list but it is without a doubt the most unique as well as one of the most resplendent sights India has to offer. Converted into a national park to protect its rare and diverse flora & fauna, it has been recognized internationally by botany, literature & mountaineers alike for its unique properties and magnificence. It is most famous for its meadows upon meadows of endemic alpine flowers which also plays home to endangered species such as the Asiatic Black Bear, snow leopards, blue sheep, musk deer and more.

XII. Skeleton Lake, Uttarakhand

Though this isn’t exactly a natural phenomenon, it’s still an entirely unqiue sight to see. Roopkund Lake, a stunning glacial lake in Uttarakhand has been called thus because of the scores of human skeletons that were discovered in it in 1942 by a forest ranger. They have been dated back to the 9th century and are said to have belonged to a king from Kannauj who was travelling with his pregnant wife and servants, all of whom were killed by a hailstorm in Roopkund.

XIII. The Great Banyan Tree, Kolkatta

Located in Howrah’s Indian Botanical garden, this is the widest and oldest tree in India. Having stood strong for over 200 years, the tree has over 3300 aerial roots, and has managed to survive 2 cyclones, a fungus attack and being struck by lightning.

XIV. Living Tree Bridges, Meghalaya

 Located in the dense, rain-heavy forests of Cherrapunji, the indigenous rubber tree has roots as long as 3000 feet which slither their way along the slopes. Humans have, over the years, taken to moulding these roots into dense networks of ‘living bridges’ to cross over the rivers and it stands as testamenet to both the innovation of man and the incredulous nature of, well, nature.

 XV. Flamingo Season, Mumbai

Mumbai’s feathered winter guests flock from Gujarat to the Sewri-Mahul mudflats near South Mumbai, injecting a vivid new colour into our city’s landscape. These flamingos, having travelled from as far as Siberia via Rann of Kutch, are foraging for food and the mangroves around the area are perfect for their diet, which includes blue-green algae and shrimp. India is actually home to two types of flamingos from a total of six that are recognized around the world, namely Greater Flamingo and Lesser Flamingo; both of these species can be seen at the Sewri jetty during the migratory season.
It is a curious juxtaposition: these long-legged visitors at what has come to be known as ‘Sewri Flamingo Point’ against the backdrop of oil and petroleum factories in the distance, and the experience is only made more dramatic by the shipwrecks scattered in the area. Bombay Natural History Society even organised a Flamingo Festival this year and a survey conducted by them last year estimated that there were about 25, 000 of the pink beauties that arrive in the city around October.

XVI. ‘Blue Mountains’ Or Neelakurinji, Kerala

It is believed that the Nilgiri mountains - translating literally into ‘blue mountains; - were named after this enchanting flower, which lend the landscape their purple-blue colour.  Neelakurinji is a purple blue-flower that blooms in Munnar, only after a period of 12 years. This flower blooms only in once in 12 years on the hill ranges of Munnar in Kerala, a rare occurrence that is jaw-dropping in its beauty.
While the last blossoming happened in 2006, and the next one is expected only in 2018 (mark your dates, and get on the travel plans), there was a group of anomalous plants that was ahead of its time by four years, and bloomed in 2014, which is the sight that the photographer here has captured. Interestingly, the local Paliyan tribe is said to have previously used the flower that is indigenous to the Western Ghats of South India to calculate their age.

XVII. Lonar Crater Lake, Maharashtra

This one’s a treat for the sci-fi enthusiasts. Initially believed to be of volcanic origin, Lonar Crater Lake was actually born of a massive meteor crash in Maharashtra about 52, 000 years ago. This gave rise to the Earth’s ‘largest and only hyper-velocity impact crater in basaltic rock called Lonar Lake, which is alkaline and saline at the same time’. The meteor’s speed is estimated to have been about 90,000kmph, and it is said to have been weighing 2 million tonnes; the resulting impact created a hole a hole that was 1.8km wide and 150m deep.
Over the years, it has become resplendent with jungle and a perennial stream has resulted in thriving greenery. Nature, science and religion intermingle curiously here, and the lake is actually named after the demon Lonasura. One of Maharashtra’s tucked-away secrets, the intrigue associated with this iconic phenomenon is almost unfathomable, for scientists, trekkers and explorers alike.

XVIII. The Aleya Ghost Lights, West Bengal

The photo emissions from Chir Batti still on your mind? The phenomenon is echoed in the state of Bengal, where they are known as the Aleya Ghost Lights or the Will-o’-the-wisps. These glowing orbs float eeriely above the marshland, and local lore has it that they are the souls of the fishermen who died there, driving anyone who dares approach them incurably insane.
Science, though, has another take - these mysterious lights are gases produced by the decaying organic matter in the swamps. The gases come in contact with oxygen as they rise and oxidisation and ionisation create that photon glow that cannot be unseen. Interestingly, the colour of the lights differ depending on the gas that is released, leading to several different kinds of spooky, coloured emissions.

XIX. Lake Eros, Kerala

God’s own country knows how to show some love to her children. Lake Eros, also known as ‘Hridaya Saras’, ‘Chembra Love Lake’ or the ‘heart of Chembra’, is a charming heart-shaped water body located on the hills of the Wayanad range in the Western Ghats. You’ll have to trek your way to the top - a plan that definitely beats any store-bought Valentine’s day gift you ever heard of. It’s only natural to fall in love here.

XX. Krishna’s Butter Ball, Tamil Nadu

In Mahabalipuram is perched a majestic rock known as ‘Vaanirai Kal’ or ‘Krishna’s Butter Ball’ that weighs 250 tonnes and sits quite comfortable on a slippery slope. The massive boulder is five metres in diameter and rests at a precarious 45 degrees, yet has never been moved. It remains unknown whether it was formed naturally, or whether it’s of extraterrestrial origin, but attempts have been made in the past with as many as seven elephants on the task - but to no avail.
Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a curious tourist attraction that prompts much debate and theorising over it, even as people perch in its shadows to get some shade. When it’s going to topple - no one knows.

XXI. Kabir Vad, Gujarat

Dedicated to the famous saint Kabir, and legend has it that Saint Kabir brushed his teeth with a twig and threw it away, which is where the massive Kabir Vad stems from: a gigantic expanse of banyan trees said to have originated from the same trunk. Science tells us that the aerial roots of the main trunk grew laterally to form thick, woody trunks that today, can’t be told apart from the original one.
Situated on the Narmada river, the mother tree is believed to be over 600 years old and the trees span over a distance of approximately 1km.