Kodinji Kerala: More than twin trouble

Kodinji, in Malappuram district of Kerala, has more than 270 pairs of twins in a radius of one kilometre, a fact that has become a source of irritation for many of its residents, discovers Kavalam Sasikumar

For geneticists, it is a matter of research, for laymen a matter of intrigue, for the media a source of stories, but the presence of an abnormally large number of twins in Kodinji has turned into a menace for the people of this otherwise sleepy village.

A tranquil oasis of green, Kodinji attracts tourists in hordes, many of them foreigners, eager to spot its many twins, 270 in a population of 13,000 as per official records.

While the national average of twins in India is only 8 per 1,000, in Kodinji it is almost four times the average. The reason though is yet to be pinpointed as no agency has conducted an official or biological study.

One Dr Sribiju, who conducted a study of the phenomenon twins in his personal capacity, notes, “Genetics is certainly one reason, but the environment is just as important. Though the majority of the population here is Muslim, the twinning effect is evident among the Hindus as well. Five families here have triplets and half of the twins in the village are females.”

In the Kodinji angadi (market), people easily list many twins but if you happen to ask them for help to organise a photograph, you will invariably be told to cough up Rs 1,000 for each pair of twins.

Since 2002, when the Kodinji twins first came to the notice of the world, national and international publications and news channels have been coming to the village regularly to record their story. Just a week before we went to Kodinji, a television crew from Japan had been there to film a documentary. Acting, shooting and posing have thus become an everyday and boring affair for Kodinji’s residents.

This is especially disturbing when demands for photographs are made during school hours. The PTAs (Parent Teachers’ Association) of the three schools in this village have decided in unison not to allow shooting or photography without the consent of the PTAs and a payment of a donation to the school fund.

Some villagers have taken it upon themselves to guide the visitors. There are allegations that these people are paid by the media. One story goes that the Japanese team paid as much as Rs 2.5 lakh to the students who cooperated with the filming.

A local student, Jabir, sees absolutely nothing wrong in this exchange of money. “If the twins get some money, it can be used for their long-term welfare provided the money does not go into the wrong hands,” he explains.

In 2008, an association named ‘Twins and Kins’ was formed to ensure that no one took undue advantage of the twins by secretly conducting a study on them. The association also organises health camps for the twins.

It was examination time when TSI was in Kodinji to probe the phenomenon and the school authorities were understandably reluctant to disturb the students for a group photo. Hence we could get together just three pairs of twins to pose for us - Jabuba and Jubana from Class 3, two-year-old Afra and Afna and six-month-old Afrah and Ansah.

Many Kodinji families have members in the Gulf. But not everyone here is well off. Yousef, father of Afna and Afra, is an autorickshaw driver who barely manages to make ends meet for himself and his family. He says, “The media makes money from our story. If only we could get a share of what they make, we could have a much better life.”

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