A Double Discovery!

The heavy chirping of birds soon woke me up. It had rained throughout the night and I could see various puddles brimming under the coconut tree from my window. I had arrived late at night due to a delay in my flight schedule and the local host Rachana and her family were kind to harbor me in her house on short notice.

The wooden stairs of her ancestral house creaked as I descended them. The end of the stairs led to a sitting room, which upon entering,

I saw something my eyes found difficult to believe.

Rachana, clad in a Kerala saree was busy grating coconut for dishes to be cooked in lunch and by her side sat a girl, who was supposedly her twin, helping her peel the palm fruit.

There were two more people in a corner of the room. One of them was Rachna's father who sipped his morning coffee sitting in a chair, watching the headlines on a local television channel. By his side, sat her uncle, looking exactly like her father, flipping pages of the newspaper. The second set of twins.

I walked to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water and to my astonishment saw Rachna's mother, laying the breakfast table arranging hot Idlis on the banana leaves. Her lips curved into a smile upon seeing me. A lady, supposedly Rachna's aunt, I noticed, bore a striking resemblance to her mother as she smiled at me. The third set of twins.

This couldn't be possible. I felt dizzy for a brief moment and checked my spectacles. Was it my imagination? or my dream? Or perhaps the lack of sleep to see all the family members bearing a look-alike?

Rachana burst out into a peal of laughter looking at my puzzled face. She pointed out the pictures hung on the wall. One of them was a group picture that exposed ten pairs of twins. I felt confused for a brief moment until my eyes ran to the bottom of the frame. It bore a caption "From the God's own twin village, KODINHI"

Welcome to the Twin Town of India!

PC: RVCJ Media

Kodinhi, a modest village in the Mallapuram district of Kerala is home to 400 pairs of twins!

Genetic experts and global researchers have scratched their heads over what would cause Kodinhi to beget twins in every generation, but have failed to come up with a proper explanation to this strange phenomenon.

India is a country where twins are majorly born out of IVF treatments and late pregnancies, but when it comes to this mysterious village, that is not the case as women mostly marry in their late teens and childless couples cannot afford the luxury of IVF treatments.

While I thought double meant trouble, Rachna had a completely different opinion on being a twin and having many like her in the family. She opined that being a twin resulted in happy adulthood, a greater sense of security and happiness.

With a twinkle in her eye, she confessed that being identical, gave her many opportunities to prank her friends, escape punishments at home and school and confuse a stranger enough, to have a hearty laugh later! Yes, she did not spare me either.

Do not be surprised if you see pairs of twins hand in hand hurrying to school in Kodinhi!

This village attracts international visitors, so why not take an excursion to Kodinhi village and also tour northern Kerala for a memorable vacation!

Three enchanting places to visit near Mallapuram: #Silent valley National park

An ecotourism site along the Kunthi river, this national park lies in one of the impenetrable zones of the Western Ghats in the Nilgiri forests. According to the epic of Mahabharata, it is believed that the Pandavas wandered south, of what is now Kerala during their exile and rested near river Kunthi while Draupadi disguised herself as 'Sairanhdri', the maid of queen Sudeshna.

The flagship species of the park is the lion-tailed macaque and also is home to thirteen threatened species of birds, endemic animal species.

Indigenous tribal communities are living inside the park and their ethnic heritage and culture are protected. Silent Valley also is known for the highest illegal cultivation of marijuana in India, many of the tribal communities cultivate cannabis of internationally renowned quality. The tribal youth take up jobs on a daily wage basis and others also work as local park guides. You can walk into an eco-shop to purchase the finest and pure forest products in Silent Valley.

Must watch: Animals quench their thirst at the Siruvani waterfall nearby.

#Teak Museum, Nilambur

Take a trip to the world's first teak museum operated by the Kerala Forest Research Institute. Globally a first, teak plantation was planted in Nilambur in the 1840s during the British rule in India.

This makes the museum historically, scientifically, and artistically valuable. You are provided information on teak, its importance, and various teak products as you walk inside the two-storied edifice of the museum.

The museum is located on the Manjeri -Ooty road and is open for visitors for all days except on Mondays.

#Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary- A birdwatcher's paradise!

This bird sanctuary lies on the confluence of a river and the Arabian sea. About a hundred species of native birds nest here while more than sixty species of migratory birds take a flight to this sanctuary. Numerous species of crabs and fish school in this zone for breeding.

Visiting this sanctuary in winters is a treat to your eyes and ears! A green blanket is spread throughout the area and birds often picnic here unaffected by the camera clicks of visitors... As if they enjoy being in the limelight!

A visit to this sanctuary is a great way to unwind in the lap of nature, listening to a language of birds and wondering what their conversation could be about!

I thanked Rachana for an unforgettable trip and for introducing me to this mysterious village!

India is a bouquet of villages, and I am sure many are unique in some sense. I am on a journey to expose them to the world to increase the tourist footfall and to support rural economies.

Do you know of a village that would provide a unique travel experience to the tourists? I would like to hear about it in the comments section. Until then,

I shall be on a search for my look alike... They say you have at least three of them somewhere in the world!