Lakshmi was born two years on Diwali in Araria village in Bihar. Although the people of the village treated her as a re-incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, for doctors she was an ischiopagus conjoined twin.
One of the twins is headless and has two pairs of arms and legs. The villagers offered to build a temple in her name and there was also a circus company, which had offered the parents a lot of money, if they gave her to them.
The parents who are very attached to this child rushed to Delhi, but the doctors said that no surgery could be performed.
By then, Dr Patil of the Sparsh hospital had read about the girl in the news papers and rushed to Bihar and offered free medical help. He said the parents did not have to worry about the medical costs before bringing the child to Bangalore. The complicated operation cost Rs 26 lakh.
Image: Lakshmi with Dr Patil prior to her operation.
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