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The currently popular theory is that once in a while great teardrop-shaped blobs of magma work their way to the surface from near the core-mantle boundary. These huge blobs result in extensive volcanism (that we call flood basalts). Following behind the teardrop shaped blob is a long skinny tail that persists for millions of years, and results in what we call hotspot volcanism. Some of the evidence for this is that most flood basalt provinces can be tied to a hotspot trace - in the Deccan Traps example the hotspot is now under Reunion Island. On the Indian Ocean floor you can trace a line of now-extinct volcanoes that follow back to NW India.
Scott Rowland
For more on Deccan Flood Basalts click here!
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