Bamboo, that is used so extensively in northeast India for various purposes like building houses, bridges, in medicines, and more, spells doom in the form of famine the moment it starts flowering. But is it true, finds out Robert L Sungte If you think all flowers are beautiful and are meant to bring smiles on everyone's face, think once again. There is this flower which does just the opposite. That flower belongs to the bamboo. Scientifically called bambusa, the appearance of its flower is a sign of impending famine to the tribals in the northeastern state of Mizoram and southwestern parts of Manipur; where there is a large track of bamboo forests. As per the Forest Survey of India (FSI, 1988-89), bamboo forests cover 12,54,400 hectares out of the total area of 21,090 sq km. The total land area covered by bamboo in Manipur is 3691.77 sq.km (FSI, 1991), making up 14 per cent of the total geographical area of Manipur. This tropical moist deciduous forest is the most common type of vegetation in Mizoram and Manipur, and over 23 species of bamboo have been identified. Poor farmers in both the States are reading hard times ahead of this year's monsoon season even as they are reminded of the famine that had occurred in 1959 which claimed over a thousand lives. In 1959-60, a severe famine had followed bamboo flowering. There was severe starvation and the common man in Mizoram and adjoining tribal belts in Manipur, felt a general feeling of neglect by the Central government. This led to a 20-year-long rebellion against the Government of India by the then Mizo National Front, making the famine an issue for demanding