Shri Shanidev: The Doorless Village
Shani Shingnapur is a small village in Maharashtra, India that has been depending on their deity for crime prevention measures and thus, has so far avoided using doors, windows or even locks.
Such is their faith in Shri Shanidev (Hindu God of Saturn), that they unofficially ban people from having normal safety mechanisms like latches, windows and doors.
The people of the town claim that ever since the deity’s idol was set up in the village around 150 years ago, no one has experienced theft or any such grievances.
However, there is some discrepancy about the exact nature and number of crime instances.
Many point out that there has not been a theft in their time, while others note that thieves are always attempting to rob them but that their deity always sends the items back to them.
On the other hand, the village chief from 2004 was forthcoming about crime deterrence factors in Shani Shinhnapur.
According to her, “There have been no robberies in the village. When someone has tried they have gone blind and unless they confessed they were unable to leave the village.”
She did however end the account with this statement: “We keep our money in banks that have been built outside the village”.
As for the idol in question, it is a tall black rock that stands at approximately 5 feet.
Locals state that, years ago, villagers found this rock amongst the debris brought by a bad flood. They were mystified by its texture and overall look and were even more surprised to find that the rock bled after being poked and probed with sticks.
Initial fear of the black stone gave way to wonder when people started having dreams that linked it to Lord Shani. Soon they received instructions through their dreams to construct an open-roof shrine for this earthly representation of their deity.
The roofless feature was followed by the doorless village concept, both of which emphasized the close bond between Lord Shani and his people.
Their rituals also followed this basic idea where pilgrims and patrons did not require the help of a priest for darshans (prayers).
However, there are some limits in this special relationship. The deity has placed a restraining order of sorts against women and thus, they can only worship him from afar.
Nonetheless, the shrine and the quirky details of its surrounds are accepted by men and women alike.
In fact, this religious structure is one of the most popular temples in the country.
By shinigami on 15-09-2009
Comment by Pamela
September 15th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
maybe we should have a few of these placed around the country…..Then again, maybe not.I don't think our thives will be as respectful toword him
Comment by Fudge
September 16th, 2009 at 7:06 am
looks like a giant turd. or maybe like a cylinder version of the space poop from Joe Dirt
Comment by shahgeb
September 16th, 2009 at 2:34 am
Shani Shingnapur is a small village in Maharashtra, India that has been depending on their deity for crime prevention measures and thus, has so far avoided using doors, windows or even locks.
Comment by Ryan Lee Hannant
September 16th, 2009 at 10:27 am
I have a sneaking suspicion crime is overlooked to further the illusion that the deity actually works.
Comment by pamela
September 16th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
I think you are one hundred percent correct
Comment by Joe
September 19th, 2009 at 4:56 am
This type of thing is pretty common in India. Before anything else, they will believe that a goddess of whatever is going to help them or is responsible for something. Many of them will trust the local soothsayer implicitly but will be very suspicious of a doctor.
While India may be an emerging country, they have a lot of very rural areas and very uneducated and backwards people. They have some areas of the modern world, but right next door will be extreme poverty and sometimes horrible treatment of people (India has the highest rate of child abandonment in the world.)
So, a flood washed in an unusual rock and they immediately assumed it came from the heavens to protect them from thieves. Smart.
Comment by Clickbank Product Reviews
September 18th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Most probably local thieves are superstitious themselves and wouldn’t want to risk it…
Comment by Jerome
September 19th, 2009 at 5:52 am
wat a mature well reasoned reply , wow so smart you are
from a person who names himslef fudge what more could one expect 
Comment by Chris
September 19th, 2009 at 5:57 am
I love the smart people who know the reason for everything , and yet some of them don't say a word bout Benny Hinn , and not a stupid rock somewhere else is not holy enough ? or is it because is in a third wolrd country and they aren't " as good as us " or is it cause we all are paranoid bout the safety of our belongings and so are entitled to scoff at people who maybe blind believers . A world full of smart asses n cynics and look where we are
Comment by Gloria
September 19th, 2009 at 6:23 am
Some sects of Hinduism have beliefs that seem unreal, but how less real are those beliefs from Christian beliefs? If you had a piece of burnt toast with a shape that vaguely resembled the Virgin Mary…You may feel that I am being unduly defensive, but you speak of a single diverse nation as if there are no differences between all the people that live there. India has 29 different languages spoken by over ore than a million people, with Hindi and English the largest two. Ethnic divides run deep over state lines and even over district lines, as do social divides, and those two factors have a great influence on who has the means to modernity and who does not.
My parents are from Kerala, a state in "backwards" and "rural" India, has a much lauded healthcare system, a normal birth and death rate, and about a near hundred percent literacy rate in probably the most rural locale you can imagine. Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and even Judaism (to a small degree) each have representation within this state. My parents grew up in near poverty, and they, and their parents before them, worked to become doctors–not soothsayers. Therein, you can see where the trust and respect of the community lays.
Comment by Mac
September 19th, 2009 at 8:50 am
reminds me of the southern U.S. What was that state where they found polygamy town?
Comment by Mac
September 19th, 2009 at 8:53 am
I agree with you 100%. Most of the people here probably start remembering Jesus when something bad or good happens!
Comment by John Steen
September 19th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Wow, that is just plain brilliant dude! LOL
RT
http://www.real-privacy.net.tc
Comment by Joe
September 19th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
I have no doubt that India is a growing world economy and emerging from 3rd world status. I've been interested in Indian culture for awhile, and I've read a lot and watched a lot of documentaries about India or about people in India. They can't ALL be wrong.
And yes, there's crazies on the right that might believe the Virgin Mary is on a piece of toast, but how many people in the western world actually believe it? Things like this are MUCH more pervasive in India and much more likely to be believed to be a sign of god.
I also do not believe the India healthcare system is "lauded." It's not easy for people to get proper healthcare in many, many parts of the country.
India is an interesting clash of modern prosperity and old world poverty.
Comment by pheonix
September 26th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
have some respect for other cultures you stupid moron.
Comment by Zak
September 27th, 2009 at 7:38 am
thats messed up
Comment by shinigami88
October 12th, 2009 at 9:31 am
“We keep our money in banks that have been built outside the village”
It is a bit suspect that some folks keep money in banks in the areas outside the doorless village.
Comment by Rupen
October 20th, 2009 at 4:12 am
I've been to this village and temple. It's quite a place. I left my wallet in the cab and it was not touched. I like the fact that this belief system actually helps curb crime. If something good is coming out of it, then I think the rest of India and the world may want to learn a thing or two from it.
Comment by Service Apartments
October 29th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Height of Faith on God.
Comment by Nixxy
November 1st, 2009 at 10:30 pm
If it works for them (even if it’s not 100%), then what’s the problem? I’ve heard that it is also quite common for people in Canada to leave their doors unlocked. More power to them if they can get away with it.
Comment by Crystal Awards
November 9th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
“We keep our money in banks that have been built outside the village”
That’s the key point.