Dhadkai

Dhadkai Dhadkahi
Village
Dhadkai Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India Show map of Jammu and Kashmir Dhadkai Dhadkai (India) Show map of India
Coordinates: 33°04′20″N 75°51′13″E
Country	India
Union territory	Jammu and Kashmir
District	Doda
Tehsil	Gandoh (Bhalessa)
Population  (2011[1])
• Total	1,774
Demonym	Gujjar Muslims
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)

Dhadkai (also Dhadkahi) is a village in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, India, known as the "Silent Village of India" due to the high prevalence of hearing and speech impairments in the community.[2]

Location

Dhadkai is located in the Gandoh (Bhalessa) Tehsil, approximately 70 kilometers from Doda and 220 kilometers from Jammu.[3]

Population

The village has a population of around 1,774 people, comprising 970 males and 804 females.[4]

Hearing impairments

A significant portion of the population is affected by a congenital disorder that causes severe hearing and speech disabilities. The first reported case of hearing and speech impairment in the village dates back to 1901.[3][5]

Local sign language

The villagers use a local sign language to communicate with each other. This language is based on gestures commonly used by the hearing population, facilitating communication between hearing and non-hearing villagers.[4]

Genetic basis

Research has identified mutations in the OTOF, CLDN14, and SLC26A4 genes as major causes of hearing loss in Dhadkai.[5]

References

1. "Dhadkahi village Census Data 2011". Retrieved 28 November 2024.
2. "India's "silent" village of deaf-mutes". Reuters. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
3. "'Silent Village Of India' Finally Gets Special School". Kashmir Observer. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
4. Kathuria, Dr. Sunita Joshi; Sharma, Saroj (14 November 2022). "The Noisy Silence of Deaf villagers of Dhadkai, Jammu, India: A Case Study". Qeios. Qeios Ltd. doi:10.32388/sd6bee.
5. Pandey, Nishtha; Rashid, Tabassum; Jalvi, Rajeev; Sharma, Meenakshi; Rangasayee, Raghunath; Andrabi, Khurshid Iqbal; Anand, Anuranjan (2017). "Mutations in OTOF, CLDN14 & SLC26A4 genes as major causes of hearing impairment in Dhadkai village, Jammu & Kashmir, India". The Indian Journal of Medical Research. 146 (4): 489–497. doi:10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_635_15 (inactive 2024-11-01). PMC 5819031. PMID 29434063.