Do you know why Shani Shingnapur is called doorless village?
Imagine a village where homes have no front doors, shops are always left unlocked and locals never feel unsafe. This is the case with Shani Shingnapur where all the home is seen without doors and shops are seen without locks. Shani Shignapur is a village located in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra. It is about 35 km from Ahmednagar and 60 kilometers from Shirdi.
The presiding deity of Shinganapur, Sri Shaneshwara or Lord Shanidev- the personification of the planet Saturn is worshipped with utmost reverence and devotion by multitudes of people from all over the world. The spectacle of the deity in black stone is overwhelming. A unique aspect of this place is, that no temple structure houses the Shanidev. There is only a simple platform on which stands the swayambhu idol, in black stone.
Shinganapur is one of the most amazing villages in India. All the houses of the village do not have doors including their shops and halls. they have never kept their valuable things indoors and keys. And no theft has been reported yet in the village. They believe that god Shani punishes anyone attempting theft.
People residing here say that in the history of many years, the village has never installed doors to their houses nor are they willing to keep it locked. Even the new construction by the government such as guest houses, resorts, telephone exchange, and government office are following the rule. The post boxes are wired to keep the letters from falling out. Also, it is mandatory for the residents to keep the curtains transparent if they want to have curtains. Despite the changes in recent years, the 6500 villagers have faith that Lord Shaneshwar will protect them from all the evils.
Legend has it that about 300 years ago, after a bout of rain and flooding, a heavy black slab of rock was found washed up on the shores of the Panasnala River, which once flowed through the village. When locals touched the 1.5m boulder with a stick, blood started oozing out of it. Later that night, Shani appeared in the dreams of the village head, revealing that the slab was his own idol. The deity ordered that the slab should be kept in the village, where he would reside from here on. But Shani had one condition: the rock and its colossal powers must not be sheltered as he needed to be able to oversee the village without hindrance. Shani then blessed the leader and promised to protect the village from danger.
After the villagers installed the huge slab on a roofless platform in the heart of town, they decided to discard all doors and locks. They didn’t need them anymore, not with the Lord to watch over them. This tradition has continued for generations. Locals occasionally lean wooden panels against their front door frames to keep stray dogs out – but they have no permanent doors, and leave their jewelry and money unsecured, firmly believing that their holy guardian will protect them from any mishap. Even the public toilets in the village square just have a thin curtain at the entrance for privacy.
You will also get to witness the thin curtains in public toilets. It was January 2011 when UCO Bank opened World’s first lockless branch in the village. Because of this strange phenomena, the Shani Shinganapur has become the famous pilgrims’ attraction. Around 4 to 5 lakhs of tourists visit the temple of Shani Shinganapur every month. Shani Shingnapur has officially remained free from thefts for centuries.
