There are places you visit for their beaches, backwaters and misty hills. And then there is Kodinhi, a quiet village in Kerala’s Malappuram district. At first glance, Kodinhi looks much like any other Kerala village- lush greenery, narrow roads, homes, schools and the unhurried rhythm of rural life. But spend some time here and something unusual begins to stand out: twins are everywhere.The village has earned the nickname India’s “Twin Town” because of its exceptionally high number of twin births.
A village where seeing double is normal
For a traveller, the most fascinating thing about Kodinhi may not be a monument or a conventional tourist attraction, but its people.In most places, spotting identical twins is enough to make someone look twice. In Kodinhi, it is an ordinary part of village life. Children who look alike go to the same schools, siblings grow up together and some families have more than one pair of twins.
Twin births in Kodinhi remain a mystery to researchers. (Photo: Firstpost)
NDTV reported in May 2026 that Kodinhi has around 2,000 families and an estimated 400 to 550 pairs of twins. The village’s twinning rate has been estimated at around 42 to 45 twin births per 1,000 births, far above the Indian average.The phenomenon is believed to have continued across several generations. For visitors, that means the village’s unusual identity is not something created overnight for tourism- it has become part of everyday community life.
But why does Kodinhi have so many twins?
This is the question that has fascinated researchers for years. And there is still no definitive scientific explanation.Researchers have explored several possibilities, including genetics, environmental conditions, diet and even the local water. But no single factor has been conclusively identified as the reason behind Kodinhi’s unusually high rate of twin births.The mystery has attracted researchers from India and abroad. In 2016, a research team involving scientists associated with institutions including the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology and Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies visited the village and collected samples from twins as part of efforts to investigate possible genetic factors.The research has made Kodinhi an unusual meeting point of local curiosity and scientific investigation- but the central question remains unanswered.
Two schoolgirls first noticed the unusually high number of twins. (Photo: Undiscovered Indian Treasures)
The mystery was first noticed in a classroom
Interestingly, Kodinhi’s unusual reputation did not begin with scientists. It began with two schoolgirls. In 2006, twin sisters Sameera and Femeena, then students of Class 8, noticed that there seemed to be an unusually large number of twins in their school. There were reportedly eight pairs in their own class. Curious about what they had noticed, the sisters conducted a small survey for a school assignment. They reportedly found 24 pairs of twins in their school.Their discovery prompted villagers to look more closely at the phenomenon. A wider survey carried out in 2008 reportedly found around 280 pairs of twins in the village at the time.The growing awareness eventually led to the formation of the Twins and Kins Association (TAKA), bringing together families who shared the unusual experience of raising twins.
When twins became part of Kodinhi’s identity
The reason behind Kodinhi’s high twin rate remains unknown. (Photo: The Telegraph)
Over time, being known as a “twin village” became more than a curious statistic. Kodinhi’s residents embraced the identity. A welcome sign at the village describes it as “God’s own Twins Village”, a playful reference to Kerala’s famous tourism slogan.The village association has also helped keep track of twins and connect families. For parents raising twins, having an entire community that understands the experience creates a sense of familiarity that would be unusual elsewhere.For outsiders, meanwhile, Kodinhi offers a glimpse into how something scientifically extraordinary can become completely ordinary to the people who live with it.After years of research, there is still no simple answer. Until science finds one, this little Kerala village will continue to be known for something wonderfully unusual – a place where seeing doubles is simply part of everyday life.Sources used for this article: NDTV, The News Minute and The Better India.
