Two hours from the nearest airport, at the end of a stomach-churning curving road, is a paradise of palm trees, purple houses and what is believed to be the world's highest concentration of twins.
距最近的機場兩小時的路程，在搞得胃部翻攪的彎彎曲曲小路盡頭，是個世外桃源，種滿棕櫚樹，紫色的屋舍，及據信是世界密度最高的雙胞胎村落。
In this tiny village of about 2,000 families, more than 200 have sets of twins. And in the case of many families, multiple sets of twins. There are about 45 twins per 1,000 births here, which is nearly six times the national average.
這個小小的村落有大約2000戶人家，其中200多戶人家生下了雙胞胎，其中很多人家還生了多對雙胞胎。這裡大約每1000個新生兒就有45對雙胞胎，幾乎是全國平均值的六倍。
It was a phenomenon that had gone unnoticed for several years, even by the residents. But now a village in Kerala with over 200 twins and a few more on the way is in the limelight.
多年來，大家都沒注意到這種現象，連當地居民都習焉而不察。但現在喀拉拉一個村莊有200多對雙胞胎，還有一些馬上就要出生，當地已經成為世人注目的焦點。
"None of us was aware of this phenomenon and now many have started thinking of this. There is also a new association for these twins," said Kunju Marikar, president of the Nannambra panchayat (village council) under which comes Kodinhi village that boasts of the record.
「我們一直沒注意到這種現象，但現在很多人開始思索這件事，這些雙胞胎還成立新社團，」以這項紀錄為傲的科丁希村所屬村民代表會會長馬利卡說。
Of the 20 wards that fall under the council, Kodinhi has seven wards, each having a population of around 2,000. "The surprising thing is that this phenomenon does not prevail in other wards of the panchayat," Marikar added.
村代會下分20區，科丁希村有七大區，每個區約2000人。馬利卡又說：「令人百思不解的是，這種現象並未普及到村代會轄下其他區。」
Following the attention to the village, Pullani Bhaskaran, 51, the father of a pair of twin boys aged 16, formed the Twins and Kins Association (TAKA), exclusively for the parents and the twins.
在該村引起世人注意後，一對16歲雙胞胎男孩的父親、51歲的巴斯卡蘭成立了「雙胞胎及血親協會」，只有雙胞胎及其父母可以參加。
"We have recently formed an 11-member executive committee and have begun registration of twins. So far we have zeroed in on 230 pairs of twins and we are trying to rope in all the twins irrespective of their age. We feel the number could swell to more than 300 pairs," said Bhaskaran.
「我們最近成立一個由11人組成的執委會，並開始著手為這些雙胞胎造冊，目前已經鎖定230對雙胞胎，而且我們正試圖說服所有這些雙胞胎，不論什麼年齡層都能參加。我們覺得人數應該會膨脹到300對以上，」巴斯卡蘭說。
According to the information collected by TAKA, the 85-year-old Mohammed Haji is the oldest living twin, with his sibling having died a few years ago. The oldest living twins are 65-year-old Pathukutty and Kunji Pathukutty.
根據「雙胞胎及血親協會」所搜集的資料，85歲的哈吉是在世最老的雙胞胎，但他的攣生兄弟幾年前已經過世；雙雙存活的最年長雙胞胎是65歲的帕圖庫提兄弟。
The latest pair（both boys）were delivered May 6 by Ramla, 24. TAKA's inquiries have revealed a few more are on the way.
最近出生的一對雙胞胎（都是男孩）是5月6日由24歲的拉姆拉所生。雙胞胎協會仔細調查後發現，還有幾對雙胞胎快出生了。
Yusuf, an autorickshaw driver, has three pairs ─ all girls. His wife delivered the first pair seven years ago and the third pair about three months ago. "We are happy and my wife and my two tiny girls are hale and hearty," said a pleased Yusuf.
嘟嘟車司機尤塞夫一口氣生了三對雙胞胎，都是女生。他太太七年前生下第一對雙胞胎，第三對則在三個月前出生。尤塞夫愉快地說：「我們都很高興，我太太和兩個小女兒都很健康。」
A team consisting of G.R. Chandak from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, and Kaumudi Godbole, of the Centre for Human Growth and Development, Pune, met about a dozen pairs of twins of the village last November and examined their food habits and other factors.
一隊研究人員，包括海德拉巴「細胞與分子生物學中心」的錢達克，和位於普那的「人類成長與發展中心」的葛伯里，去年11月和村裡十幾對雙胞胎見面，並檢查他們的飲食習慣及其他相關因素。
However, the villagers say they have not heard from the team since then.
但村民表示，他們迄未見該組研究人員發表調查結果。
"Now what we are doing is to document the entire details of all the twins. Our preliminary findings show that among the twins, girls lead the pack. The maximum number of twins is in the age group of 5 to 15. Shortly we will come out with all the details," said Bhaskaran.
巴斯卡蘭說：「現在我們能做的就是記錄所有雙胞胎的全部細節，我們初步調查發現，這些雙胞胎女生居多，以5到15歲這個年齡層的雙胞胎最多，我們很決就會發表相關細節。」
Dr. Krishnan Sribiju has been studying the village of twins for two years. The dermatologist works in a nearby hospital and is currently studying for his master's degree in public health. In his free time, he is trying to unravel the medical mystery.
史瑞比醫生已經研究這個村子兩年，他是附近一家醫院的皮膚科醫生，目前正在修公共衛生碩士，他利用空閒時間試圖解開這項醫學奧祕。
He is in contact with scientists all over the globe. "A lot of works have been done on this field," he said. "But no researchers could find a definitive answer on what is actually causing this phenomenon."
他跟全球各地科學家聯繫。他說：「這方面的研究很多，但到底是什麼引起這種現象，沒有任何研究人員能找到確切的答案。」
The doctor has a few theories on why it's happening, including perhaps something to do with what people are consuming. "I feel that something in the environment is causing this unusual phenomenon," he said. "Maybe something in the water. Maybe something in the food."
這位醫生對所發生的現象有些理論，包括也許跟人們攝取的食物有關，他說：「我覺得整個大環境有某些因素造成這種不尋常的現象，也許水中有什麼東西，也可能是食物中有什麼成分。」
"I hear people say that's it's because of the water, but I strongly believe that it's given by God's gift," said Gopi Nair, father of 14-year-old twin sisters.
「我聽說是因為水的關係，但我深信，這是上天的恩賜，」14歲雙胞胎姊妹的父親納爾說。
In this picture are Fathima Lubna, 7, and her twin sister Fathima Lubaba (R) carry their five-month-old twin sisters at their residence in Kodinji village on July 28, 2009.
圖（路透）為7歲大的魯比那雙胞胎姊妹，7月28日在科丁希村抱著她們5個月大的雙胞胎妹妹合影。