Udsar Lodera
Udsar Lodera (उदासर लोडेरा) is a medium-size village in Sardarshahar Tehsil of Churu district in Rajasthan.
Jat Gotras
History
A 700-year-old legend has become an impediment to constructing another floor on buildings and houses in Udsar village near Sardarshahar in Churu district.
At a time when India is aiming for the stars, residents of this village do not construct the first floor of their houses. According to the legend, a local deity, Bhomiya ji Maharaj had died in the first floor of a house and his wife, who performed Sati after him, advised the villagers to never build another floor for their own safety. Hence, villagers believe that another floor will bring bad omen and have followed the tradition since.
Parameshwar Lal, former sarpanch, said that the tradition has become an unsaid rule, although nobody prevents any person from building another floor. “No one in the village prevents anyone from building another floor, but the belief is not so easy to break. Since our childhood, we have been listening to stories of some people who built another floor around 200 years ago. Our elders say all the members of that family died after a few years. After that, no one dared to take a step forward,” said Lal.
With a population of 3,500, there are around 400 houses in the village. Many have started building their houses on the village outskirts, on farmlands or have started migrating to other villages or cities. However, people who have built their houses in farms do not have electricity or water connectivity. Sarpanch Guddi Devi said that people in the village are waiting for someone else to take the first step and build another floor. Due to the belief, for many years nothing has changed and people have made peace with it. Pratap Singh Saran, a resident of the village, said that despite being just five kilometres away from Sardarshahar and situated near the national highway, there is hardly any investment in the village.
“There are ample opportunities to build godowns, factories or hotels, but due to this belief, no one is ready for any investment. Even the government schools and a private college in the village do not another floor. Outsiders also do not dare to break the tradition as somehow they are scared,” Pratap said.
There has never been any initiative from the government to motivate people to build another floor. Like mentioned above, even the two government schools, a post office and other government buildings just have the ground floor.
Reference - Parul Kulshreshta, Times of India, 21.2.2021
Population
According to Census-2011 information: With total 359 families residing, Udsar Lodera village has the population of 2083 (of which 1077 are males while 1006 are females).[1]
Jat Monuments
Notable persons
External Links
References
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