A wenkgh of experiences, the thrills of diversity, and fascination around every corner. If you?ve ever wondered why we call India incredible, here are 10 villages that tell you why…
Bred from a young age to become bouncers, over 200 men from Asola-Fatehpur Beri, a village near Delhi work at pubs, bars and nightclubs of the national capital, act as bodyguards to local dignitaries, or secure private colleges, hospitals and upmarket hotels. Starting young, most of the aspiring bouncers, and the seasoned ones spend their spare time training at the gym or mock wrestling each other to meet the demands of their careers in security.
45 in every 1000 births turn out to be twins in Kodini, a village in Kerala. And while India has one of the lowest twinning rates internationally, Kodinhi has a rate that?s at par with the highest twinning rate in the world. This phenomenon, which is only three generations old, has been accounted to a natural anomaly rather than a genetic mutation. According to villagers the twin phenomena has only been happening since 1949.
The village of Shani Shingnapur in Maharashtra is certainly the most trusting village in India. Why? The village has a local tradition of not installing doors and locks in its houses. Their faith in the local deity, Lord Shani leads them to believe that anyone stealing, would face the wrath of the local deity. The village does indeed have a low crime record, so perhaps there?s a lesson in honesty and trust for the rest of India.
Shetpal in the Sholapur district of Maharashtra goes one step ahead when it comes to living in harmony with nature. Each household not only worships cobras, it lives with them. The villagers provide a resting place for the cobras in the wooden rafters in the ceiling. The cobras move around the houses freely like members of the family. Reportedly, there hasn?t been a case of cobra bite in the village to date.
Now a ghost village, Kuldhara, near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan was once home to a thriving community of Paliwal Brahmins 300 years ago. According to local legend, Salim Singh, a debauched prime minister of the state, fell in love with the daughter of the village head and threatened to marry her by force. Instead of submitting to the order of the tyrant, the villagers decided to deserted their ancestral homes and vanish overnight. And that was not all ? before leaving, they put a curse on Kuldhara that no one would ever be able to settle in the village thereafter.
Barsane, a village near Mathura, celebrates Holi most unusually. As part of the celebrations, men playfully taunt the women and, consequentially, get beaten up by the women with a lathi or a staff ? which gives rise to the name Lathmar Holi. Of course, the process is more playful than violent. Before playing Lathmar Holi, the men are also plied with food and drinks. The men protect themselves from the Laths by wearing a turban on head and holding improvised shields.
Coffee, English, High Court, For, British, Mantri, Glucose, Bus, Train, Gramophone, Japan, Military, Hotel, Jailor and Dollar. Believe it or not, these aren?t just regular words, but actual names of people from Bhadrapura, a village, on the outskirts of Bangalore. The Hakki-Pikki tribe who live here are nomadic peddlers and get their name inspirations from their daily life ? from objects around them, the places they visit, film actors, food and more ? often with hilarious results.
Mawlynnong, a village in the East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya, has the acclaim of being the cleanest village in Asia in 2003. It?s also famous for its most popular Eco-attraction ? living root bridges. The Khasi villages are connected by a network of pathways known as the King?s way. Throughout this network, hundreds of living root bridges are formed by intertwining roots of Ficus elastica. These root bridges, some of which are over a hundred feet long, take ten to fifteen years to become fully functional. They are also extraordinarily strong ? some of them can support the weight of 50 or more people at a time.
African by origin, Indian by nationality and Gujarati by language, the Siddi tribe from Jambur in Gujarat, are originally Bantu people of sub-Saharan Africa. Predominantly brought to the Indian subcontinent as mercenaries or slaves by Arab and Portuguese merchants, they exist today as an ethnic group in various states all over India. While being more or less Indian-ized, they rigorously follow a rule of marrying within the Siddi community.
In a country that still favors the birth of a son, Piplantri village in Rajasthan not only embraces daughters but has created a tradition that benefits the planet. This endearing village plants 111 trees every time a girl is born. The village also collectively contributes Rs. 31,000 and puts it into a 20-year fixed deposit for the girl. Parents also sign an affidavit stating that their daughter will receive proper education and that the girl will be married only after she reaches legal age.
