Why do people of Shani Shingnapur village not lock their doors? 

You might have been reminded by your patents countless times to double check the door lock before leaving the house, right? Of course, you lock your doors and wardrobes out of the fear of theft. But what if I told you that there exists an entire village where no one locks the house doors or wardrobes? Odd, but true! The Shani Shingnapur village in Maharashtra is famous for its residents having no locks on their doors. Even their banks have no security! Reason? The villagers have faith in Lord Shani. Read on to know more about Lord Shani’s legend and fascinating information about the village and his temple. 

The legend of Shani Shingnapur 
The villagers’ decision to forgo security was motivated by their unwavering faith in Lord Shani, who is regarded as the protector of the village. This notion stems from a 300-year-old legend that goes like this. After a heavy downpour in Shani Shingnapur, a black rock washed up on the banks of the Panasnala river, which used to pass through the village. Soon the nonchalant villagers started gathering and touching the rock. And much to their surprise, the rock bled after touching it! It is said that Lord Shani appeared in the dreams of the village’s head later that night and revealed that the rock was none other than his own idol. Lord Shani ordered the rock to be kept in the village, and in return, he agreed to keep the village safe from harm but under one condition. This powerful rock should not be kept under a roof to allow the lord to oversee the village. Following these instructions, the villagers placed the boulder on a platform without a roof and, taking his word for it, decided to remove all locks on doors. 

The entire village around the temple has no doors! 
True to their devotion to Lord Shani, people have abandoned their safety concerns. Locals don’t entrust their neighbours with keeping an eye on their home while they are away. In their absence, all valuables remain unharmed. The villagers also believe that if a theft ever occurs, the thief will have to endure blindness or seven years of bad luck. However strange that may sound, the police have not yet received a single complaint of theft from the villagers!  

The small shrine has now grown into a temple owing to extensive donations of property and money from devotees. As a result, some families from the younger generations are requesting the village chief to let them install locks to protect their family. In fact, the United Commercial Bank opened its first lockless branch in Shani Shingnapur in 2011. The bank’s entrance is made of glass, and a remote-controlled electromagnetic lock is barely discernible.  

The temple is considered to be alive 
Lord Shani’s temple is a very mystical place in itself. According to the legend, the rock holds Lord Shani, making it feel alive. To date, villagers believe that the black slab still houses their god. Although the exact date of the stone’s appearance is unknown, it is believed that the stone was discovered by few shepherds at the start of the Kaliyuga or 5000 years ago! This fascinating story draws over 40,000 devotees to the temple every day from all over the state of Maharashtra.