Imagine a town where nobody locks their doors—be it day time for night. Why? Yes, such a phenomenon exists. Barely 80 km south west from Aurangabad, the town of Shani Shingnapur demonstrates this effectively. It gets bizarre when a bank too, operating lockers for its clients, follows suit with local traditions and keeps its doors open. The crime rate here is near zero and sensitive businesses (like banks operating under the guidelines of Reserve Bank of India) take precautions in monitoring. A visit to this town is a must to satiate your curiosity for this unique culture.
The town also shot to fame in early 2016 for another reason. The Shani Maharaj temple was in the eye of a storm over a 400-year old tradition that banned women from entering the inner sanctum. A pitched court battle saw a landmark judgment allowing women to do so. The temple is busiest on Saturdays that is the day of planetary God Shani, who is believed to punish people if they steal.
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