Kongthong, a village in Meghalaya, India, is known as the Whistling Village where residents are identified by unique musical tunes composed by their mothers at birth. This tradition symbolizes love and identity, attracting global interest and nominations for cultural heritage status
Imagine someone asking your name, and all you do is make a surreal sound. Amazing, right? That is exactly what happens in a Meghalayan village where residents are identified by unique tunes instead of conventional names. A video circulating online features traveller Anu Sharma on her recent visit to this fascinating place in India. In the clip, she is seen asking one of the villagers, “What's your name?” In response, the lady whistles – producing a captivating sound that turns out to be her name – leaving social media users amused.
The video then offers glimpses of the village's scenic beauty as Anu explains, “Hum India ke ek aise unique village mein hai jaha sab logo ke naam ek musical tune hai (We are in a unique village in India where everyone has a musical tune named after them).”
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She continues, “Yeh hai Kongthong village in Meghalaya, jise whistling village of India bhi kaha jata hai jahan mothers, child ke born hote time unique tunes ko compose karti hai. (This is Kongthong village in Meghalaya, also known as the Whistling Village of India, where mothers compose unique tunes at the time of their child's birth.)” The content creator reveals that the village has over 700 unique tunes and that everyone here greets each other using these musical notes. Anu shares, “This is a bond of love, identity, and tradition, which is passed down from year to year.” At the end of the video, she asks the audience whether they have ever heard of this village.
Watch the video here:
The internet could not stop reacting after watching the video.
A user said, “Just imagine a teacher taking attendance.”
Someone asked, “Do they have an Aadhaar card?”
“How would they even remember their name?” pondered one viewer.
A curious person asked, “How do they write their name?” In response, another user joked, “Tuuuu duuuuuu tuuuuuuu ruuuuuuu,” while one more person clarified, “They have usual names like us. Tune names are basically nicknames.”
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Everything You Need To Know About Kongthong Village
Also known as the Singing Village of Meghalaya, Kongthong lies about 60–65 km southeast of Shillong, nestled between Sohra (Cherrapunji) and Pynursla ridges in the East Khasi Hills. This serene hill village has been nominated by India for the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)'s World's Best Village Contest, as well as for UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage status.
Surrounded by lush green valleys, root bridges, waterfalls and eco-huts, Kongthong is nothing short of a traveller's paradise. On your visit, you can explore the local honey farms, handicraft stalls and even enjoy witnessing the villagers' whistled communications – a heartwarming cultural experience unlike any other.
Will you visit this unique village in Meghalaya? Let us know in the comments below.
