The soul of India lives in its villages. 60 percent of the population still lives in villages. Indian villages have a very beautiful and attractive lifestyle. India is known for its diversity – in language, culture and religion. Every city is different and so is every village. But there are few villages in India that are not only different, but unique too.
1) Mawlynnong, Meghalaya
Unique Fact: It is Asia’s cleanest village.
Mawlynnong is a village in the East Khasi Hills in the district of the Meghalaya state in North East India which is 180 KM from Guwahati, which is known as Asia’s cleanest village. it is a community initiative that mandates all residents should participate in cleaning up the village. Smoking and use of polythene is banned while rainwater harvesting is encouraged. Here Cleanliness in not just a value, but rather a lifestyle in the Mawlynnong village. Since 2007, each and every house of this village has functional toilets and the whole locality is provided with bamboo dustbins. Plastic bags and smoking are strictly prohibited here. Those who fail to follow these rules are charged very heavily. Mawlynnong also converts its own manure from the garbage gathered.
2. Rongdoi, Assam
Unique Fact: In this village frogs are married off for rainfall.
Rongdoi is a Village in Morongi Tehsil in Golaghat District of Assam which is located 20 KM from Golaghat and 248 KM from State capital Dispur. There is a mythological belief among the Assamese that if wild frogs are married off by following the Hindu rituals of marriage, it can help bring rainfall. After the identification, boththe bride and the groom will be kept in two different houses and dressed up gorgeously prior to the wedding. The wedding takes place at the house where the bride has been kept. A lot of people will accompany the groom when it is taken to bride’s place. People, both young and old and from different strata of the society, will come and witness the wedding. After the wedding gets over, the bride is taken to the groom’s house in a decorated hand cart and later, both are let loose in a pond.
3. Kila Raipur Village in Punjab
Unique Fact: This village is known for the rural Olympics of India or Kila Raipur sports festival.
Kila Raipur is a popular village situated in Ludhiana. This village of India is quite famous for its annual Kila Raipur Sports Festival or the Rural Olympics of India. It is the only place in India that hosts the Rural Olympics. The events played often demonstrate the physical strength and valor of the Punjabi men and women. Kila Raipur Sports Festival has an impressive list of events that cater to various genre of sports. The events are roughly categorized into three parts; The Rural games, The modern sports and the performing sports. The spectacular festival also boasts of events like archery, air pistol, sack-lifting, paragliding, tractor race, aero-modeling show, tent pegging etc. The unique Octogenarian race is another adventurous and splendid crowd-puller in the festival. You can also witness various skills like persons pulling tractors with teeth; riding two horses simultaneously, or heavy stone cracking by placing it on the chest.
4. Shani Shingnapur, Maharashtra
Unique Fact: No house in this village has doors.
Shani Shingnapur, a village located in the Ahmednagar district of Maharastra. It is famous for the fact that no house in the village has doors, Most of the houses only have door frames. Villagers believe that the temple is a “jagrut devasthan” (Alive temple), meaning that the god here is very powerful. They believe that god Shani punishes anyone attempting theft. The deity here is “Swayambhu” (self-evolved deity) that is self-emerged from earth in form of black but imposing stone. Can you ever imagine going out, or sleeping in your house without locking the front door?
5. Shetpal, Maharashtra
Unique Fact:The village where snakes are family members.
Located in the Sholapur district of Maharashtra is Shetpal, Snakes are treated as pets in this village. Cobras move freely throughout the village, even inside the houses. Visiting Shetphal village in Maharashtra takes a lot of guts. Because residents not only build houses for their family; but also for snakes. More precisely cobras! A special corner in the house is set aside, exclusively for the cobras to come and cool off at any time they wish. If anyone in the village constructs a new house, he makes sure to devote a hollow portion of the dwelling as devasthanam for the snakes. if you are wondering whether there has been any incident of snake bites in this village, the answer is a ‘no’! So far, there hasn’t been a single instance of cobra bites. The origin of this practice in the village is unknown yet but fascinating!!!
6. Hiware Bazaar, Maharashtra
Unique Fact:This is the village of millionaires.
Located in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra lies Hiware Bazaar. The region has been known for farmer suicides due to overburden of loans and crop failure, due to the drought. In such a region, Hiware Bazar is an anomaly, where you will find 60 millionaires and barely any poor farmer. This has made Hiware Bazar the richest village in India. Of the 235 families residing here, 60 are millionaires.
This is a village which makes us believe anything is possible with hard work and determination. The use of an integrated watershed management based development approach have turned a village’s misfortune into an ecological and economical success. This village which is fondly called as ‘Village of Millionaires’ as this amazing village has no poor farmer
7. Kathewadi Art of Living Model Village, Maharashtra
Unique Fact:Transformation of a village from alcoholism to model village.
Kathewadi village is located in Nanded district of Maharashtra. The Art of Living has adopted this village and converted it into a model of village life. The transformation is nothing short of remarkable. Alcoholism plummeted from a whopping 70% to 0%. Each family in the village linked to Self Help Groups (SHGs) and started a daan peti (donation box) scheme which, along with the community’s heightened sense of trust and harmony, enabled them to setup and maintain a shop without a shopkeeper. The money saved from alcoholism (daily spend for addicts was in the Rs. 50-100 range), SHGs and the daan peti scheme gave them enough economic independence to build toilets for each of the 110 households. A paved road through the village with no external funding. Zero toilets to 110 toilets in 18 months with no external funding and the prestigious Nirmal Gram Award from Government of India. 70% alcoholism to 0% alcoholism in 18 months. A shop with no shopkeeper running on an honor system. The Art of Living Foundation has adopted this village and converted it into a model of village life. Its founder, Sri Sri Ravishankar’s teachings are painted on the walls of every home in the village.
8. Punsari, Gujarat
Unique Fact: It is a ‘model’ village that has all the modern amenities and “India’s Smallest Village”
Punsari is a village located in Sabarkantha district in the state of Gujarat, India. Punsari is considered as India’s first smartest village. In a span of ten years, the village has made significant developments under the Sarpanch (leader) Himanshu patel. A village which didn’t even have electricity and clean drinking water now boasts of WiFi, CCTV cameras, solar-powered street lights, public address system, health centres, an independent bus service, clean drinking water at a nominal cost of ₹4 for a 20-litre drinking water can, and a well maintained drainage system. and everything else we could think of in a developed city. The villagers even have accidental cover of ₹1 lakh and a medi-claim cover of ₹25,000. Well, their success story is simple – it is not a fairy tale. It is a tale of a proper leader who made optimal utilization of government schemes. A model for rest of the villages in India and its leaders.
9. Jambur, Gujarat
Unique Fact: It is an African village in Gujarat.
Jambur is a village in Junagadh district of Gujarat, India. It is located near Gir Forest. it was indeed strange to stumble upon a community that was African in origin but Gujarati in speech and demeanor It is home to the Siddi tribe, originally Bantu people of sub-Saharan Africa. While the community follows most Indian rituals, it still adheres to strict marriage rules within their own tribe. As per local lore, once a ship full of African slaves was shipwrecked off the coast of Gujarat. When they landed ashore and saw the lions of Gir, they thought they had reached Africa! But were in for a shock… This tribe also speaks fluent Gujarati and celebrates all the Indian festivals.
10. Kodinhi, Kerala
Unique Fact: This village has more than 400 twins.
Kodinhi is a village in Malappuram district in Kerala. A blue board that reads “Welcome to the God’s own Twins Village–Kodinhi”, welcomes visitors to this village. The village continues to be a mystery to researchers. This village has the largest number of twins in the country. According to estimates, there are at least 400 pairs of twins or triplets in the village that has a population of 2000 families.
This village continues to be a big mystery for researchers around the world. The doctors in India are wracking their brains to solve the riddle of 220 plus twins born to 2,000 families in the far-flung village of Kodinhi in Kerala. Experts are wondering at the uncommon phenomenon of twin births which is nearly six times more than the global average.
11. Pothanikkad Village in Kerala
Unique Fact: This village of Kerala has achieved 100% literacy in India.
Pothanikkad is a village in Ernakulam district in the Indian state of Kerala. The name derives from the Malayalam words poth, meaning buffalo, anaa, meaning elephant, and kaddu, meaning forest, as it was originally a forest with wild buffalos and elephants. Now, this small village has developed into one of the most educated and culturally advanced villages in Kerala and India. Hope you are clear about the 100% literacy village of 100% literate state.
12. Kongthong village, Meghalaya
Unique Fact: The Whistling village of India
The whistling village of India, where all resident’s from birth till death are called by their given musical name which is an expression of love and happiness and their formal name for the entire life span is used only in case of any wrong – doing. The local authorities are planning for the inclusion of Kongthong village in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage for preserving its practice of giving each child a unique tune — called jingrwai lawbei in the Khasi language – instead of a name.
13: Mattur, Karnataka
Unique Fact: Sanskrit is a way of life in this village.
Mattur (or Mathur) is a village in Shimoga district near the city of Shivamogga in Karnataka state, India, known for the usage of Sanskrit for day-to-day communication, although the general language of the state is Kannada.. Everybody in Mattur, from the vegetable vendor to the priest, understands Sanskrit. Most speak the language fluently too. It is not unusual to see a group of elders reciting Vedic hymns by the riverside while a couple of young men zoom past them on their bikes, flaunting their mobile phones as they converse in the ancient language. It is the only village in India where more than 90% of the people converse in Sanskrit in their daily lives. Pretty unusual and slightly amazing that the village is trying to keep the classical language – Sanskrit alive.
14: Barwaan Kala, Bihar
Unique Fact: It is also called a village of bachelors.
For over 50 years, Barwan Kala has been an inaccessible corner, up on the Kaimur hills in the western most part of Bihar. Poor infrastructure makes this village inaccessible and unpopular among brides. . Over time, the village of over 6,000 people and 400 households earned the title of ‘village of bachelors’ with the highest number of unmarried men in any Bihar village. Barwan Kala in Adhaura block, 300 km from Patna, is like an inaccessible fortress. Locals have been making efforts towards constructing roads, and the ‘village of bachelors’ finally welcomed its first bride in March 2017….a road to marriage.
15. Kuldhara. Rajasthan
Unique Fact: It is known for being cursed and haunted Village of the country
Located 17 KMS from Jaisalmer, Kuldhara amazing village of India has its own spine-chilling tale which makes it one of the unique haunted villages of India. Kuldhara was once a prosperous village which was inhabited by Paliwal Brahmins but now it lies cursed and abandoned since years. According to the legend, the evil eyes of Salim Singh, the powerful and wicked prime minister of the state, fell on the daughter of the village head and he desired to marry her by force. He threatened the village with grave consequences if they did not adhere to his wish. Instead of submitting to the order of the tyrant, the Paliwals held a council and people of 85 villages left their ancestral homes and vanished. But this was not all; before leaving, they put a curse on Kuldhara that no one will ever be able to settle in their village thereafter. To this date, the village remains barren; left almost the same as its inhabitants had left it centuries ago. It is also said that people who have tried to stay there at night have been chased away by strange ghostly phenomenon.
16. Korkrebellur
Unique Fact: Bonding of birds with villagers.
Kokrebellur is a village in Mandya district of Karnataka . The village is named after the painted stork, which is called “kokkare” in the native Kannada language. While farmers prefer to keep a scarecrow in their farm to keep birds away from their crop, here’s a village where they have created an exclusive area just to feed the birds. This attracts many rare species of birds in this tiny village every year. The villagers have also created a special space to take care of the wounded birds in the village.
The uniqueness in Kokkarebellur is the long-established bonding between the spot-billed pelicans and the villagers who have adopted this bird as their heritage, since they consider the birds as harbingers of good luck and prosperity to the village. The commercial benefits derived by the villagers from these birds include the phosphorus- and potassium-rich manure obtained from the bird droppings (also known as guano). They have even created an exclusive area in the village just for the birds and over the years, the popularity of this uniqueness has attracted many tourists to this village!
17. Piplantri Village in Rajasthan
Unique Fact: In this village birth of female child is celebrated by planting 111 trees in her honor.
Piplantri a village located in Rajsamand district in Rajasthan State. .This village of Rajasthan gained popularity and fame because of a very positive and great initiative taken by the former village leader Shyam SundarPaliwal, who envisioned a bright future for the girls. He believed that if the parents of newborn girls planted trees and nurtured them for 18 years, they could arrange enough money for the girl’s wedding when she comes of age. Hence In Piplantri village the birth of female child is celebrated by planting 111 trees in her honor and that’s what makes this village unique in its own way.
18. Malana Ancient Indian Village in Himachal Pradesh
Unique Fact: This village is one of the first democracies in the world
Malana is an ancient Indian village in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This solitary village situated in north-east of Kullu Valley, is isolated from the rest of the world. Malana has its own lifestyle and social structure and people are strict in following their customs. The village administration is democratic and is believed, to be the oldest republic of the world. Malana’s unique democratic system is said to be among the oldest in the world, and, similar to the Ancient Greek system of democracy, it consists of a lower house and upper house. However, it has a uniquely spiritual twist to it: ultimate rulings rest on the upper court, which includes three important figures, of which one is the representative of the local deity, Jamlu Devta.
19. KIBBER, Himachal Pradesh
Unique Fact: Highest motorable village in the world.
Kibber in Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh is believed to be highest motorable village in the world. The village is known for its scenic landscape and numerous Buddhist Monasteries. Situated at an elevation of 4850m, Kibber resembles to the villages of Ladakh and Tibet. Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary is India’s only wildlife sanctuary in a cold desert. It is home to the ibex, blue sheep, red fox, Tibetan woolly hare, Himalayan wolf, lynx, pika, Tibetan wild ass and the snow leopard. High altitude and pollution free surroundings make Kibber a great destination for sky gazers as well as nature and adventure lovers.
20. Mayong, Assam
Unique Fact: It is the land of magic and witchcraft.
Mayong, is a village in Morigaon district, Assam . it is located in the bank of the river Brahmaputra, approximately 40 km from the city of Guwahati. this untouched village has been the centre of black magic and sorcery in India for centuries. Here witchcraft, sorcery, and necromancy were not just practised but passed down over generations. When most of us fear and do not even believe in magic and witchcraft, this village near Guwahati not only accepts it but also celebrates black magic. The village has a community of 100-odd magicians. The villagers believe that with the help of Tantricism, one can achieve everything.
It has also been nicknamed as ‘India’s Black Magic Capital’.
With a handful of practitioners left, the legendary magical art of Mayong may soon pass into history, but according to folklore, the saints of Black Magic and other witches still reside in the dark corners of the forest. India’s diverse land is home to some really unique villages that must be on your bucket list, to experience the real India. Owing to its mysterious history, Mayong is now a popular tourist destination for curious travellers, history buffs, adventure enthusiasts, and those fascinated by black magic.
NB: Image used above are for representational purpose only.
