Shani Shingnapur (The village with no doors or locks)

In this day and age of highly paranoid people and sophisticated security systems do you happen to know anyone who has no door or locks on their house? Who leaves their house with valuables without any protection? 

Are you kidding me? Absolutely no. Atleast not in cities where the crime rate is higher than ever. If you're anything like me and read a lot of true crime then you are highly paranoid just like i am. But the people of a small village of Shani Shingnapur beg to differ.

Like me if you have been to Shirdi in the state of Maharashtra you know that Shani Shingnapur is just a few hours away from it and is the home to the largest number of devotees of Lord Shani,the god of Saturn who is believed to be the guardian of the village.

The inhabitants of village have no front doors and shops are always left unlocked. Despite this the locals never feel unsafe.

Can't relate? Well trust me, me neither!

The Legend behind this phenomenon is that about 300 years ago, after heavy rain and flooding a heavy black slab of rock washed up on the shores of the river Panasnala, which once flowed through the village. When the villagers investigated the said slab by touching it with a stick, blood apparently oozed out of it.

The legend further states that later in the night, Lord Shani appeared in the dreams of the village head, revealing that the said slab was his idol and further ordered that the slab should be kept in the village where he would reside and watch over the village ensuring safety and protecting the village from dangers. The deity however had one condition that the rock and its powers must never be sheltered considering tha fact that he had to oversee the village.

Wheww! Bet you didn't know that. But if you did, give yourself a pat on your back.

Due to the villagers undying faith in Lord Shani, the villagers further discarded all doors and locks since it was unecessary with the deity protecting them. 

Throughout centuries this tradition has carried on. The locals are super nonchalant about leaving their valuables without any protection and surprisingly the crime rate in the village is pretty non-existent! 

Although some sceptics argue that the low rate of crime is pertinent to the remote location rather than the miraculous powers of the lord.

Believe what you want! But the fact that a place like this exists in this age of crime absolutely blows my mind!


If you enjoyed reading this post do let me know in the comments and if you know any other places like this I'd love to know about them!