Temple Village of India: Where shoes are banned and temples outnumber houses

Temple Village of India

Deep in the lush green folds of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu, there is a village unlike any other. It sits in the quiet shadow of the popular hill station, Kodaikanal. This place is called Vellagavi. To reach it, you cannot drive. There is no road. You must walk a steep, narrow forest path for six to eight hours from a place called Kumbakkarai. The trek is tough, a true test of endurance, but those who complete it step into another world.

The first thing a visitor notices is the silence, broken only by birdsong and the wind in the trees. The second thing they notice is the ground beneath their feet. And the third thing is that no one here wears any shoes.

Yes, in Vellagavi, everyone walks barefoot. Men, women, and children. They walk barefoot on the dirt paths, barefoot near their homes, and barefoot when they go to the many, many temples that fill this tiny village.

Read Also - Lost Eyesight at 6, Still Cracked UPSC Twice: How Pranjal Patil became India's first visually impaired IAS officer

With only about 150 people living there, Vellagavi has more temples than houses—over 25 of them. A small temple even stands at the village entrance, like a guardian. The people believe, and have believed for over three hundred years, that their entire village is sacred land. It is a gift from their gods. To wear footwear, they feel, would be to disrespect this blessed earth. It is a sign of reverence, a daily act of humility and connection to their home.

Life here is simple and tied to the land. People are farmers or rear goats. Their homes are neat and lined up in straight rows, each entrance decorated with beautiful kolam designs drawn with rice flour. They smile easily and greet strangers with genuine warmth, asking about their journey and well-being.

The lack of modern comforts is striking. There are no hospitals, no proper roads, and very few shops—just a small tea stall and a tiny store for basic supplies. For anything else, the villagers face the long trek to Kodaikanal. Government development has not found its way up the mountain trail to Vellagavi.

Yet, the people do not seem burdened by this. Their choice to live without shoes is not about poverty, but about principle. It is a conscious tradition, a mark of their identity. Their feet are tough, shaped by the soil they respect.

In recent years, a few adventurous trekkers have started to visit. The village tea shop now lets travelers camp for the night. For a short while, visitors can experience this unique way of life—where the connection between person and earth is never broken by leather or rubber.

Vellagavi stands as a quiet reminder of a different rhythm of life. It is a place where every step is felt, where the ground is not just something to walk on, but something to honor. In their barefoot existence, the people of Vellagavi walk softly, holding fast to a belief that has carried them for centuries.