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Villagers Worship Baby Born With 2 Faces

By GURINDER OSAN,
AP
Posted: 2008-04-08 13:43:50
Filed Under: Health News, World News
SAINI SUNPURA, India (April 8) - A baby with two faces was born in a northern Indian village, where she is doing well and is being worshipped as the reincarnation of a Hindu goddess, her father said Tuesday.

The baby, Lali, apparently has an extremely rare condition known as craniofacial duplication, where a single head has two faces. Except for her ears, all of Lali's facial features are duplicated - she has two noses, two pairs of lips and two pairs of eyes.

"My daughter is fine - like any other child," said Vinod Singh, 23, a poor farm worker.

Lali has caused a sensation in the dusty village of Saini Sunpura, 25 miles east of New Delhi. When she left the hospital, eight hours after a normal delivery on March 11, she was swarmed by villagers, said Sabir Ali, the director of Saifi Hospital.

"She drinks milk from her two mouths and opens and shuts all the four eyes at one time," Ali said.

Rural India is deeply superstitious and the little girl is being hailed as a return of the Hindu goddess of valor, Durga, a fiery deity traditionally depicted with three eyes and many arms.

Up to 100 people have been visiting Lali at her home every day to touch her feet out of respect, offer money and receive blessings, Singh told The Associated Press.

"Lali is God's gift to us," said Jaipal Singh, a member of the local village council. "She has brought fame to our village."

Village chief Daulat Ram said he planned to build a temple to Durga in the village.

"I am writing to the state government to provide money to build the temple and help the parents look after their daughter," Ram said.

Lali's condition is often linked to serious health complications, but the doctor said she was doing well.

"She is leading a normal life with no breathing difficulties," said Ali, adding that he saw no need for surgery.

Lali's parents were married in February 2007. Lali is their first child.

Singh said he took his daughter to a hospital in New Delhi where doctors suggested a CT scan to determine whether her internal organs were normal, but Singh said he felt it was unnecessary.

"I don't feel the need of that at this stage as my daughter is behaving like a normal child, posing no problems," he said.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-04-08 10:09:38
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Recent Comments

1 - 10 of 3732
3732 comments

Collierette 11:46:44 AM Jun 17 2008

What a cute baby!

JsSvsA 09:53:53 PM May 31 2008

It doesn't matter what you believe unless you know Jesus as Lord and Savior. You will find out when you die that Jesus is who He said He was and is... Our beliefs don't change who God is, nor does it change His plan. You may not believe in Hell, but that doesn't change that there is one. No matter why this little girl was born deformed, blessed, or otherwise, God allows us to have our beliefs, to choose Him or not, but His plans cannot be thwarted by any human!! Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the sacrifice for all human sin, believe it or not! I hope we all accept His gift, but if not, that's the choice isn't it...

myfrienddareject 12:48:05 AM Apr 16 2008

I agree with Enbarr03, if you ever check back here. While I am vehemently opposed to religion, most of my opposition is directed to organized religion. For example, the Catholic church, which manipulates and brainwashed its followers in a way not too far off from Scientology.

ALTHOUGH, I am not opposed to people using spirituality or whatever you want to call it to lead a good life. If someone wants to believe in some mythical being to guide them to be an understanding, accepting, tolerant and all around good person: good for them. I can live with that. When people use religion to tell me what I can and can not do because of what somebody said 2000 years ago in a language that doesn't even exist today, that is when wave my banner and rally the charge.

Hopefully her parents aren't so blinded by the superfluous and ridiculous parts of religion and do what is best for the girl.

begirl2 12:17:02 AM Apr 15 2008

Oh my god, if I had 2 mouths, I would be big as a house !

msmailbox 12:15:39 AM Apr 15 2008

adroa7 01:33:16 AM Apr 14 2008

A TWO-FACED BABY. IN ADDITION TO BEING WORSHIPED IN INDIA,I HEAR THAT SHE'S GOING TO REPLACE THE ELEPHANT AS THE SYMBOL OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

LOL!!!! Thank you for a great belly-laugh!

theenabler52 12:07:42 AM Apr 15 2008

Another good reason we have INCEST LAWS in this country.

bluetigersun 08:15:44 PM Apr 14 2008

I BELIEVE THESE PARENTS ARE USING THEIR CHILD.THEY ARE GETTING MONEY AND FAME AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO BUILD THEM A TEMPLE TOO!THEY ARE CLEARLY NOT THINKING ABOUT HOW UNCOMFORTABLE THIS CHILD MUST BE.THEY KNOW IF THIS CHILD GETS FIXED THEY WON'T GET THE FREE STUFF.

oobreditor 01:56:52 PM Apr 14 2008

I think the parents would do well to have a CT scan done, just to detect if there are any unknown issues that might affect her health in the future.

Cjayabee 01:56:10 PM Apr 14 2008

You "believe" this god exists. You don't know it for a fact. At least she has parents who love her and will care for her. That's the important thing.

Enbarr03 01:02:05 PM Apr 14 2008

while i concur with the previous comment regarding "the need to bring god" into everything, i must correct one concept there. God exists, to explain the unexplainable, not to subjugate the masses. when that simple concept is understood, the leap of faith, the desire to excel, and the need for conscientious action, become obvious and moral choices. i feel badly for the child. i feel badly for the ignorance of her parents. but i am sure that the "faith" they espouse, will also be what gets them though the almost certain early demise of this baby. to that end blessings to all.

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