Guess the Flower Blooms Every 50 Years and Triggers Famine in One Indian State

Deep within the lush, green landscapes of Mizoram in northeast India, a peculiar yet devastating phenomenon occurs once every few decades. This event, known locally as “mautam,” unfolds when a native bamboo species, Melocanna baccifera, enters a rare flowering cycle.

Every 48 to 50 years, millions of these bamboo plants simultaneously burst into bloom, producing an extraordinary abundance of seeds. Though it may seem a miraculous sight, the flowering of bamboo has consistently spelled disaster for Mizoram, leading to severe agricultural crises and famine.

This cyclical flowering sets off a chain reaction, starting with an unusual “rat flood,” which consumes all available food resources, ultimately devastating local crops and livelihoods. This unique phenomenon is a remarkable yet grim reminder of nature’s intricate, and sometimes destructive, rhythms.

The Mautam Phenomenon: Flower Blooms Every 50 Years

The unique and rare flowering event of Melocanna baccifera, the bamboo species responsible for Mizoram’s mautam, unfolds approximately once every five decades. According to historical records, Mizoram has faced famine due to this flowering cycle in 1911, 1959, and again in 2007, with each event triggering widespread food shortages and suffering for local communities.

The word “mautam” itself is derived from the local name for the bamboo, “mautuk,” a species that grows widely in Mizoram. This particular bamboo species flowers in an almost clockwork-like fashion every 48 to 50 years.

During this brief period, millions of bamboo plants produce an immense number of seeds, which attract a massive population of black rats, Rattus rattus, causing the so-called “rat flood.”

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The cycle of devastation begins when the abundance of bamboo seeds acts as an instant food source for rats. These seeds, rich in nutrients, support a sudden explosion in the rat population.

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Once they have consumed the seeds, the rats—now in numbers far exceeding usual levels—scurry toward nearby villages and farmlands, driven by hunger to consume any food source they can find. This includes essential crops such as rice, maize, and other staples. Within a short period, these hungry rats lay waste to local agriculture, causing widespread crop failure and, ultimately, famine.

Why Bamboo Flowers Lead to Rat Floods and Food Crises

The phenomenon of “rat floods” tied to bamboo flowering is not unique to Mizoram; it has been observed globally, including in Hong Kong, South America, Ethiopia, and Japan. However, Mizoram is uniquely vulnerable due to the widespread growth of Melocanna baccifera and the cyclical nature of its flowering.

Bamboo species can have flowering cycles that vary widely, ranging from as little as three years to as long as 150 years. However, mass flowering events, or “gregarious flowering,” are extremely rare and may only occur once every 40 to 120 years, depending on the species.

For Mizoram, the synchrony in Melocanna baccifera’s flowering leads to an ecological chain reaction, known as “masting.” Masting is a strategy used by some plants, where a large number of plants flower and fruit simultaneously, overwhelming predators with an abundance of food.

The rats, being highly adaptive, take full advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, leading to a dramatic surge in their population. While most of the seeds are consumed by these rats, the aftermath is far worse, as the vast rat population, left with dwindling food resources, begins targeting nearby human settlements and agricultural fields.

In fact, the rat population explosion and ensuing famine are well-documented phenomena in regions where bamboo flowering occurs. The scientific community has studied similar cases in other countries, including a study published in Rodent Outbreaks: Ecology and Impacts, which recorded a “rat flood” after a bamboo flowering event in Chittagong, Bangladesh, where over 30 percent of bamboo seeds were consumed by rats, causing food shortages.

Comparable episodes have been reported with the Arundinaria alpina bamboo in Ethiopia and Bambusa tulda in Japan, both of which triggered rat floods followed by food crises due to the rapid depletion of local crops.

Mizoram’s Double Challenge: Mautam and Thingtam

While mautam remains one of the most well-known cyclical famines in Mizoram, it is not the only such phenomenon impacting the state. Mizoram faces another similar event called “thingtam,” triggered by the flowering of another bamboo species, Bambusa tulda.

Occurring approximately every 30 years, thingtam presents a unique challenge, distinct from mautam, but with similarly devastating effects. Bambusa tulda’s flowering follows a less predictable cycle but still leads to a significant increase in the rat population, as with mautam, and results in a “rat flood” that wreaks havoc on local agriculture.

Together, mautam and thingtam put Mizoram in a precarious position. Both flowering cycles unleash ecological disruptions with the potential to devastate crops, threaten food security, and strain local resources.

Historically, Mizoram’s residents have sought to mitigate the impacts of these cycles through various means, but the scale of devastation remains daunting. Despite advancements in technology and agricultural practices, the regularity and magnitude of these phenomena continue to challenge the state’s resilience.

To address the challenges posed by mautam and thingtam, the Mizoram government and local communities have attempted a range of preventive measures, including rodent control efforts, early harvesting practices, and stockpiling of grains before a predicted flowering year.

Additionally, scientific studies, such as those published in Frontiers in Plant Science, have helped shed light on the nature of bamboo flowering cycles, contributing to an understanding of how best to anticipate and respond to these cyclical famines.

Nonetheless, the unpredictability of these flowering events, coupled with the rapid proliferation of rats, means that even well-prepared communities face significant challenges in avoiding food shortages and economic hardships.

A Rare Natural Phenomenon with a Devastating Impact

The cyclical flowering of bamboo, particularly the Melocanna baccifera species in Mizoram, stands as a rare and intriguing natural phenomenon with far-reaching consequences.

The simultaneous blossoming of bamboo plants on a scale that supports a sudden explosion in the rat population is a vivid example of how interconnected and unpredictable natural systems can be.

As long as mautam and thingtam continue to occur, Mizoram will face a recurring battle against crop devastation, economic loss, and food insecurity. While scientific understanding and intervention strategies may alleviate some of these impacts, the sheer magnitude of this ecological phenomenon makes it one of the most challenging aspects of life in Mizoram.

The unique interplay between bamboo flowering and rodent populations highlights the power of natural cycles to shape human experiences and livelihoods, especially in regions where communities live closely connected to the land.

As researchers continue to study and document these events, the lessons learned may one day lead to more effective solutions for communities in Mizoram and around the world that face similar challenges tied to nature’s rhythms.

Until then, the people of Mizoram will continue to prepare as best they can, bracing for the next time their bamboo forests burst into bloom.