Kodinhi – The Mysterious Village of Twins

As I kid I remember playing table tennis with my friends (Balaji and Govinda) who were twins. It was quite baffling and irritating to face an identical opponent after defeating one of them. To make it worse, apart from looking similar they wore the same outfit which added to the confusion.

I have grown up watching Bollywood movies (Angoor, Seetha aur Geetha) which involved twins and it surely adds to the comedy. However I am sure teachers at school would be having a hard time dealing with them. Perhaps the best way would be to put them in different divisions. The teacher would still find it difficult to figure out if the right twin is attending his/her class!

Now, what if I told you that there is a ‘Village of Twins’ in Kodinhi, Southern India! Continue reading and you will be amazed to know more about this place.

Kodinhi – The Village of Twins

Kodinhi a village in Malappuram district, Kerala shot into the limelight in 2008. The reason being for the highest number of twins. There are an estimated 20,000 families in this village. Of which there are over 250 pairs of twins! As per the local doctor, the count seems to be more or even double!

Can you imagine the amount of confusion that this twin population would be causing in this village? The oldest twin pair was born in 1949 and the twin population is on the rise. As per the villagers, twins being born here goes back three generations.

What could be the reason in the rise of twins?

India ranks low when it comes to twinning rate. However the twin birth rate here in Kodinhi is six times the global average!

Twins being born in western countries is not surprising due to IVF treatment. The women in such cases are mature and fairly tall. However in this village there is no presence of IVF treatment! Moreover IVF treatment is expensive and not affordable for people in Kodinhi. The women here are comparatively younger with a height of five feet.

The cases of rising twin birth is a mystery and under investigation. The rise could be due to the water, the food that is being consumed. There is no logical reasoning behind this. This seems to be linked to the people of the village. Reports say women who married people from Kodinhi and moved there have had a higher twin birth rate. Likewise those who moved to another place and started families there also had a higher twin birth rate.

Are there similar places like this?

Yes, there are a few places with a similar pattern. This has been observed in communities of Nigeria (Igbo-Ora), Vietnam (Hung Loc Commune) and Brazil (Candido Godo). A research team tried finding if there was any genetic connection between them. However there was none which is quite intriguing!

In conclusion, the mystery behind the high twinning rate in Kodinhi continues. This ‘Twin City’ has certainly staked a claim as one of the mysterious villages in India. This village founded the first ‘Twins and Kins’ Association in India.

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Best time to visit Kodinhi

The best time to visit Kodinhi in Malappuram district is between the months of September to February.

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How to reach Kodinhi ?

By Air:

Calicut International Airport is the nearest to Malappuram. One can catch a private vehicle to visit Kodinhi which is 23 kms away.

By Rail:

Shoranur is a large and recognized train station in Kerala. Kodinhi is about 65 kms away from Shoranur.

By Road:

There are regular buses that ply from major cities to Malappuram. Malappuram is well connected to all the major towns southern states.

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Read more about some interesting places with unsolved mysteries of India.

In case you are keen on traveling to Kodinhi, you could take a look at the itinerary of Kerala and add an additional day to cover it as a part of this itinerary.

India is a many faceted country other than being mysterious –  culture, nature, wildlife, spirituality… Here is some more information to help you holiday in India beyond the regular tours and packages.

For ideas on other immersive travel options across India and the world, visit Beyonder Travel.