Are the extra ones legs, or are some of them arms? It's hard to tell.

There's a picture of the skeleton at the link, but I'm not sure it helps much. Parasitic twin, though, so it's four arms and four legs.

I find the skeleton picture freaks me out much more than the picture of the girl.

If, as the link says, she was indeed born as a toddler, I'm ready to believe anything about her reincarnation.

Photo... too... much.

You should have given us a link. At least then I could have said I'd been warned. I don't think I'm going to be able to drink my coffee now.

Actually, I love that photo. The expressions on the mom's and on the little girl's faces are wonderful. Could be much worse, considering.

Yeah I agree with ++u -- the little girl's grin is beautiful.

See, this is why I always visit this blog last. I mean... I'm done. No interest in continuing to search the internet for something interesting today.

BTW, 6 & 7 are right- Mom and daughter's smiles made me smile, too.

Dude, that would suck if they removed only the arms by mistake, instead of 2 and 2.

Let's hope the surgery - now underway - goes well. I'm curious whether she'll keep one set of legs, or one from each side.

BTW -- I'm sure this says something negative about me and/or about this wretched world; but my initial thought when I saw "believed by some to be the reincarnation of the multi-limbed Hindu goddess Vishnu" was, "Oh noes! The fundies are going to keep her from having her life-saving operation!" I am relieved that that dynamic does not appear to be operative.

11: CNN:

When Lakshmi was born into a poor, rural Indian family, villagers in the remote settlement of Rampur Kodar Katti in the northern state of Bihar believed she was sacred. As news of her birth spread, locals queued for a blessing from the baby.

Her parents, Shambhu and Poonam Tatma, named the girl after the Hindu goddess of wealth who has four arms. However, they were forced to keep her in hiding after they were approached by men offering money in exchange for putting their daughter in a circus.

The couple, who earn just $1 a day as casual laborers, were keen for her to have the operation but were unable to pay for the rare procedure, which has never before been performed in India.

Many villagers, however, remain opposed to surgery and are planning to erect a temple to Lakshmi, who they still revere as sacred.

After Patil visited the girl in her village from Narayana Health City hospital in Bangalore, the hospital's foundation agreed to fund the $200,000 operation.

Ok, so "this wretched world" it is. Still I'm glad the fundies are not influential enought to keep it from happening.

Re. her being named Lakshmi, hopefully the next girl born with a radically enlarged proboscis will be named Vishnu.

You may mock the "fundies," and anyone who would prevent the operation is a complete moron, but you have to admit THIS is kind of eerie (from the linked article):

"Poonam, who gave birth to Lakshmi on the celebration day of the four-armed Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity after whom the new born was named..."

cue Twilight Zone music.

Also, that little girl has the most beautiful eyes I think I have ever seen.

Aw shit, ignore 13.2 -- I was getting Lakshmi mixed up with Ganesh.

Or Vishnu mixed up with Ganesh, or something. Regardless, I was confused and the comment makes no sense.

[insensitive]Spider baby! Spider baby! Does whatever a spider...something![/insensitive]

There, glad that's finally out of my head.

The movie is better than you might expect.

They should have stuck with "Cannibal Orgy".

You know how when something is really expensive, it costs "an arm and a leg"? Well, this operation is twice as expensive as that.

Was the second twin facing the same direction? Or the other?

I'm just thinking, wow, that might've been a very dangerous birth.

22: But there's no indication that the child is venemous, B.

More on the surgery procedure itself here.

While we're on the subject of parasitism, I can't help throwing this in: Parasitic Imperialism. Will we elect a surgeon, or someone who wants to help the parasite take over further?

Looks like she made it.

Yay, Lakshmi! Too bad you're no longer sacred.

Too bad you're no longer sacred

That seems to me like a feature, not a bug -- being viewed as sacred seems like a net debit.

I wonder if there's a market for "saint's relics" (like St. John's shinbone, Christ's foreskin, etc. in Europe) in India?

One of the articles said Lakshmi would have died in a few years without the operation.

i was so excited to see this story,even if this beautiful little child isn't the reincarnation of some fantastic hindu goddess she is proof that mankind still has the capacity to love(speaking of the free surgery).

So when I went to get my Times today, I noticed that the newstand guy had a fully-formed (albeit undersized) extra thumb on one hand.

Just thought I'd share that with the group.

IT'S CREEPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Rob. back up to thread 17....Were you using the spiderman theme song to coordinate with your posting. I could use a tune in my head, to replace the visual of this poor child? I may need therapy after this. Hey, by the way, is your last name Zombie? Just curious because you are quite talented into organizing tune, lyrics and a morbid sense of humour.

Lakshmi's parents were wise to care for her health versus beliefs. Can someone give me a news update about this child? She had surgery on November 7. Considering the procedure, I am curious to know her condition at this present time. Also, I am curious.... did the villagers put out their torches and accept the mortality of their village Goddess?

May God be with her at all times

damn gangees water