People worship the strangest thngs sometimes

[Ron Caliburn]

By Gurinder Osan, The Associated Press

SAINI SUNPURA, India - 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, 40 kilometres 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 valour, 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.

[KonThaak]

Wow... They're probably going to let all that fame and fortune go to the girl's head, too.

...Err, no pun intended.

[Ron Caliburn]

The proper pun would have been gone to her heads.

[kalle]

No. Her faces.

And why this is the difficult thing for you to believe?

[kalle]

It not limited to India, tho.

There are some in the Society that have the strange beliefs

[Razor]

Mmm. Lets start to get all first-grader shall we?

[Eilonwy Solstice]

I hope she grows up a vibrant girl and adjusts well to her challenges and trials.

She will have trying times ahead.

[Hannah]

Hi All,

Wasn't there some kind of Roman god with 2 faces?

Hannah

PS: I feel sorry for the kid, people tease me enough at school because I dress and talk funny.

[KonThaak]

Hannah: His name was Ianuus, or, more commonly, "Januus", and he's the patron of the month January. He was the god of the new year, with a face looking back to the previous year, and a face looking forward to the year ahead.

In this girl's case, I don't know what she can expect.

[KonThaak]

After the amount of stuff already going on, and how everyone seems to believe this to be a blessing for her...and considering that you're suggesting surgically removing half of her head...I'm guessing probably not.

[Ethan Skinner]

If it's not life threatening, why worry?

[concrete_Angel]

Well, for one, if she ever decides to leave her country. For another, if there end up being medical problems when she grows up.

[Ethan Skinner]

Well, for one, if she ever decides to leave her country. For another, if there end up being medical problems when she grows up.

Exactly. People are often so worried about being percieved as "normal," they'll go to any lengths to keep that label. Not every case needs to be "treated," "cured," or "removed."

If she's safe, if she's happy, and if there are no complications, I would see no reason to operate on her.

[KonThaak]

I'm inclined to agree with Ethan on this one... (Deacon, can you pick a side of an argument and stick with it? Sheez...) Oftentimes, an operation can prove more dangerous than the condition itself, especially if the doctors say that the condition isn't currently causing any problems.

[KonThaak]

I suppose I could. But I'm more inclined to view the sitch in ALL lights. I don't take the supernatural side because you guys have that down pat. Besides, agreeing with you guys would get so boring.

God--DAMN, man... I don't think anyone has taken a "supernatural" approach to this situation. I mean--geez, did you actually READ any of these replies, or are you so damned bent on that everything we talk about MUST relate to the "supernatural" that you don't even bother, anymore? Hello, a girl is born with two faces. It happens. First you're suggesting she gets surgery, then you're saying why would she bother. If you're not going to say anything useful, why open your mouth in the first place?

[concrete_Angel]

Frankly, I don't see why she would want to leave her country. Why give up deity in exchange for crowds of rude stares?

This is assuming that she's always going to be seen as a deity when she gets older. Also, even the pope gets to travel the world, what makes you think this is the one person in all of humanity who's going to end up staying in her tily little spot her whole life? Also, even if she does, nothing's stopping other people from visiting her. Who's to say a doctor from another country might end up donating his time?

[KonThaak]

If you're not going to say anything useful, why open your mouth in the first place?

Exactly, my friend. Exactly.

You fail. You prove my point even more.

[concrete_Angel]

KT, if all this guy's doing is just harping on you, then maybe we've got a bigger problem than we thought.

[KonThaak]

Angel: What do you mean?

Deacon: Fuck off, asshole. I do not just tell people "you fail" because they go against my beliefs. If I tell someone they fail, that's me being nice. If I say "you fail", what I mean to say is "you are a worthless excuse for a human being, you couldn't beat a fucking potted plant in an IQ contest, and I can smell your shit from here, so flush your goddamned toilet".

You don't wanna know what I mean when I say "have a nice day".

Have a nice day.

[concrete_Angel]

THIS is what I meant, KT, when I said "bigger problems".

[Sophoroto]

ash-shaytan, would you please at least try and be civil towards the other members here, or are you such a pompous, arrogant, self-righteous person that you don't realize that you are being a total prick to everyone here?

[KonThaak]

Angel... I'm sorry. I'm trying.