The village with no locks or doors

Learn and Talk III – Lesson 4

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Words Expressions

undying faith
1. eschew /ɪsˈtʃuː/ [verb]
to avoid something intentionally, or to give something up
bless the leader
2. slab /slæ b/ [noun]
a thick, flat piece of a solid substance, such as stone, wood, metal, food, etc., that is watch over
usually square or rectangular
holy guardian
3. ooze /uːz/ [verb]
to flow slowly out of something through a small opening, or to slowly produce a
thick sticky liquid
in respect of

4. deity /ˈdeɪ.ɪ.ti/ [noun]

a god or goddess

5. mishap /ˈmɪs.hæ p/ [noun]

bad luck, or an unlucky event or accident

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 Learn and Talk III – Lesson 4

Article

The village with no locks or doors

Imagine a village where homes have no front doors, shops

are always left unlocked and locals never feel unsafe. This
is the story of Shani Shingnapur in India’s Maharashtra
state, where villagers eschew security because of their
undying faith in Lord Shani, the god of Saturn, who is
considered the guardian of the village.

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 Learn and Talk III – Lesson 4

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.

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 Learn and Talk III – Lesson 4

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 jewellery 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.

New constructions have to honour these protocols, too. The

police station – which only opened in September 2015 and has
not yet received a single complaint from the villagers – has no
front door; while the United Commercial Bank opened India’s
first “lockless” branch in Shani Shingnapur in 2011, installing a
glass entrance in the spirit of transparency and a barely visible
remote-controlled electromagnetic lock in respect of the
villagers’ beliefs.

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 Learn and Talk III – Lesson 4

Discussion

1. In your hometown, is there any deity that is special and

unique? What are the influences on the tradition of your
hometown?
2. Spiritually what do modern people need?
3. In your opinion, will the tradition last long? Why?

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 Learn and Talk III – Lesson 4

Further Reading

Full Text: http://www.myjoyonline.com/news/2016/June-9th/the-village-with-no-locks-or-doors.php

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