Kodinhi, located in the Mallapuram district of the south Indian state Kerala, is a village recognized for having a high twinning rate which is quite unusual for such a small region. It is situated near the town of Tirurangadi and shelters more than 2000 families. The administration of the village is controlled by the Nannambra panchayat. India has been recorded to have one of the lowest twinning rates in the world however this village had gained international attention for such a large number of multiple births. The majority of population in Kodinhi comprise Sunni Muslims, who follow the Shafi school of thought.
Geography of Kodinhi
Kodinhi village is located at a distance of 35 kilometres towards the south of Calicut and 30 kilometres towards the west of Mallapuram which is the district headquarters. Except one side, the village is enclosed by backwaters from all sides. This one side connects the town of Tirurangadi to the village.
Multiple Births in Kodinhi
A survey conducted by the locals in the village brought the place to the international spotlight as it was found that there are unusually large number of twins in the region. Initially the number of multiple births was estimated to be 100 but the follow up surveys found that the village hosts nearly 204 pairs of twins, which comprises 408 individuals, along with two sets of triplets. Several studies have been conducted in the village till date but the exact cause behind this phenomenon is still unknown. Women of the village who got married in far off places have also given birth to twins. Some researchers have stated that the chemicals present in water of Kodinhi region may have caused this phenomenon. The oldest known twin pair of Kodinhi was born in the year 1949 as per the record of the locals. It has also been discovered that the phenomenon of twin births in the village has increased over the years and the surveys have found more than 79 pairs of twins belonging to the age group 0 to 10 years.
The Twins and Kins Association
Kodinhi also hosts the first association of twins in India, titled The Twins and Kins Association. In the year 2008 about 30 pairs of twins from Kodinhi along with their parents gathered to establish The Twins and Kins Association which marked to be first association of this kind in India. According to the founders, this forum aims at bringing wider attention to the problems peculiar to people of multiple births. It also includes the problems regarding their health and education.
