In the emerald hills and coffee-scented air of Kodagu, Karnataka, lies a tiny settlement with an unusually grand name: People’s Village of Siddapura.
But this village is more than a cluster of houses; it’s a dream made visible,a quiet testament to what humanity looks like when it rises above religion.Here, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian families do more than coexist.They share meals, festivals, sorrows, hopes and above all, trust.
This is the same region where devastating floods once swept homes away and left many families adrift.In response, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, together with the People’s Foundation Kerala, built 25 new homes and with them, they built a new beginning.A beginning they lovingly named People’s Village.
Today, this settlement has become a living illustration of interfaith harmony, a model neighbourhood where the truest identity is humanity.
A Morning in People’s Village
The village is now home to 5 Hindu, 2 Christian, and 18 Muslim families.If you visit at dawn, you’ll find fresh water sprinkled outside each doorway, green plants swaying softly in the breeze, and a calm, familiar silence that feels like shared gentleness woven into the air.
Two workers from Jamaat-e-Islami live here permanently, assisting families, resolving disputes (if any), and nurturing unity with patience and love.
Once a month, the entire village meets under one roof.They speak not of divisions, but of collective responsibilities, shared needs, and community care.“This is more than a village; it’s a model of life,”says Osly Teacher, a smiling Christian resident.
“We live like one big family. Whether it’s Eid, Christmas, or Diwali, we walk into each other’s homes with food in our hands and prayers in our hearts. Our doors rarely stay locked and our hearts never are.”
Chairs placed neatly in her veranda seem to whisper the same truth:Guests here are never strangers.
She adds,“Here, no one argues over religion. If someone falls sick, the whole village becomes one household.”
“Here, children learn friendship before they learn religion,”says Sushmita, a bright P.U.C student.“Hindu, Muslim – we all walk to school together. We play in the same field. We share everything. Our village may be small, but our hearts… they are huge.”Her eyes shine as she speaks.
This village was built just two years ago, yet it feels like the place she always belonged to.“We lived in a place earlier where the roofs leaked, the ground flooded, and the houses were fragile. Now our homes are clean, strong, bright and full of hope.”
Another girl, Archana, smiles and says:“Everything feels new here – the homes, the surroundings, and the dreams inside us.”
When Humanity Woke Up Before Dawn
Bashir, an auto driver, recalls a night he will never forget:“One night, my neighbour’s grandmother fell seriously ill. Her family ran to my door in fear. I didn’t think twice; I started my auto and drove them to the city hospital in the middle of the night. Thank God, she recovered.”
With a laugh he adds:“When people need groceries from town, they call me in advance. I bring things for everyone on my way back. Their prayers… that’s my real earnings.”
“She’s a Christian teacher and she tutors my child for free.”
A Muslim father shares quietly:“My daughter was struggling in school. Our neighbour, a Christian teacher, said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll teach her.’ And she never took a single rupee.”
This single sentence reveals the soul of People’s Village:service, compassion, and shared humanity.
The Village Fund: A Circle of Care
A unique system of mutual support keeps the community strong:
- Every household contributes ₹100 per week.
- Families in need receive up to ₹10,000 as interest-free help.
- No paperwork, no bureaucracy – just trust.
Plans are underway to open a sewing centre and food production unit for women’s livelihood.Children already have sports activities and academic support in place.
The Garden of Love
Every home here has its own small garden – roses, tulsi, guava, lemon… each house a different shade of green.
And there is a beautiful custom:When a family is away, neighbours water their plants.These tiny acts keep the roots of harmony deeply nourished.
Where Social Media Hate Finds No Space
While digital storms of anger and misinformation rage across the world,People’s Village stands like an island untouched.Residents say gently,“We keep those storms outside our door.Inside, there is only friendship and trust.”Discipline, compassion, and shared values have kept this village safe from rumours and division – even in difficult times.
Dreams for Tomorrow
Residents hope to build a community centre – a space for learning, sports, women’s training, and interfaith programmes.They believe that with support from the government and social organisations,People’s Village can become a national model of peaceful coexistence.The message of this village is simple yet profound:“Plant love in the hearts of neighbours,and humanity will bloom on its own.”
In a time when walls rise faster than bridges,People’s Village is a gentle reminder that some hearts still choose to build bridges, not barriers.And perhaps this is the truest meaning of being a neighbour – a meaning People’s Village carries not merely on land,but in the depths of its people’s hearts.