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Most villages have many families. In Bihar’s English village, nearly everyone traces their roots to a single ancestor whose British-era land grant shaped an entire community
Today, English village is home to around 125 households belonging to the same family. (Local18)
In a country where villages are often defined by a mix of communities, castes and family lineages, one village in Bihar stands apart for a remarkable reason: every resident belongs to the same extended family.
The village, intriguingly named ‘English’, is located in the Paharpur block of East Champaran district. What makes it unique is not its name alone, but the fact that its entire population traces its roots back to a single ancestor.
According to local residents, the story of the village dates back to the 18th century and begins with a man named Phali Singh, who served as a Subedar under the British administration.
The Reward That Created A Village
Sudama Singh, among the oldest residents of English village, says Phali Singh was rewarded by the British after a military victory. As a mark of recognition, he was granted 51 bighas of land. That parcel of land would eventually become the foundation of an entire settlement.
Today, English village stands on the same land that was awarded centuries ago. Of the original 51 bighas, around 25 bighas are occupied by homes, while the remaining area is used for roads and agricultural fields.
Historical accounts preserved by villagers suggest that after receiving the land, Phali Singh had it demarcated but later returned to his ancestral village, Rupandipur, in Maharajganj of Siwan district.
It was his son, Mahipat Singh, who eventually moved to the land and built a house there. Over time, his brothers joined him, laying the foundation for what would become English village.
One Ancestor, Hundreds Of Descendants
According to Sudama Singh, Phali Singh had four sons. The descendants of three of those sons now make up the entire population of the village. Over generations, the family expanded, but the lineage remained the same.
Today, English village is home to around 125 households belonging to the same family. Residents say nearly 600 family members live in the settlement, making it one of the rare villages in the country where an entire community shares a common ancestry.
The village is also widely known as a Rajput settlement.
How Phali Singh Became ‘Phali Rai’
Residents say the British administration later honoured Phali Singh with the title ‘Rai’, after which he became known as Subedar Phali Rai. In addition to the 51 bighas that formed the village, he was reportedly granted another 100 bighas of land in Saraiya Panchayat for agricultural purposes. However, following India’s land reform measures after Independence, a portion of that farmland was redistributed to tenant cultivators.
Despite these changes, the legacy of Phali Singh continues to shape the identity of English village.
Centuries after a land grant from the British administration, the settlement remains bound by a single family tree, a rare distinction that has turned this quiet village in East Champaran into one of Bihar’s most unusual communities.
Bihar, India, India
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