Twin Town India: Inside India’s ‘twin town’ where twin births far exceed the national average
India is the homeland of diversity and varied phenomena that baffle tourists from across the globe be it its cultures, colourful traditions or the unique biodiversity.But one almost unbelievable place situated in the south of the country is the mysterious twin village, Kodhini in Kerala, where twins are born far more often than anywhere else in India. Known as the “Twin Town,” this place has become a living mystery and scientists are scrambling to find the reasons for this unusual and high twin birth rate.
Twin Town of India (Photo: @AdelAliBinAli/ X)
The mysterious ‘Twin Town’ of Kerala
Situated in the Mallapuram district of Kerala, this small village has only about 2,000 people, but it surprised the world when the villagers noticed a very unusual rise in the number of twins. According to a research in the Journal of Applied Dental and Medical Sciences, in Kodinhi, about 35 twins are born for every 1,000 births, while in the rest of India the rate is about 4 per 1,000 and in the world it is about 8 per 1,000. In the span of five years (2011-2016) alone, sixty pairs of twins were born, and the twin birth rate keeps increasing every year. 2016 estimates said that there were about 204 pairs (408 people) of twins and two sets of triplets in the village, with roughly 79 pairs of twins under the age of 10. Another strange fact that puzzles scientists is that even women who marry outside the village and men who marry into Kodinhi sometimes have twins, which makes the whole twin‑birth pattern even more confusing.
A boon from God?
Locals in Kodinhi have their own way of explaining why twins are so common. Many residents say the high rate of twin births is a blessing from a local deity, and some believe the village’s water or environment has special, almost mystical qualities that help couples have twins. These spiritual and cultural beliefs are deeply woven into daily life and give the phenomenon a personal, emotional meaning for the people who live there.
Kodhini is not the only village with high twin birth rate
Kodinhi is not the only place where twin births are unusually frequent. Similar clusters have been reported in towns such as Cândido Godói in Brazil and Igbo‑Ora in Nigeria, both of which also show high twin‑birth rates. In Igbo‑Ora, researchers have suggested that certain chemicals in the peel of a locally consumed tuber might influence twin conceptions, though the evidence is still tentative, as quoted in the same research.Kodhini celebrates the ‘twin phenomena’ through a festivalKodinhi celebrates its speciality with an annual twin festival where families of twins gather, share stories, and celebrate their closeness. In 2008, around 30 pairs of twins and their families formed the Twin and Kins Association, the first twin‑focused support group in India, to discuss issues related to education, health, and social life for twins.Over time, this association has turned into a strong support network, helping the community turn a biological mystery into a positive social and cultural force.
