The residents of Bihar's Araria village believed this two-year-old was an incarnation of goddess Lakshmi. They were ready to build a temple in her name. However, what Lakshmi -- who has been named after the goddess -- and her ischiopagus conjoined twin needed was medical help, which she finally managed to get at a hospital in Bangalore.
For many doctors, Lakshmi was a hopeless case. In New Delhi, where her parents had gone for medical succor, the doctors threw up their hands. Lakshmi's future looked troubled until Dr Sharan Patil of Bangalore's Sparsh Hospital read about her and offered to help.
She was then brought to Bangalore where she underwent a rare and difficult operation.
Lakshmi, who was born on Diwali day, had a peculiar problem. Her mother conceived twins -- but when the babies were born, one of the twins was headless and had two pairs of arms and legs. This twin was attached to the otherwise healthy twin, who was named Lakshmi.
Reportage: Vicky Nanjappa
Image: Lakshmi with her mother
Photographs: Courtesy the Sparsh Hospital
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