An Indian teenager is worshipped as a god
because he has a 7ins ‘tail’. Arshid Ali Khan, 13, has become a divine symbol
in the state of Punjab. Locals have hailed him a reincarnation of the
Hindu monkey god Hanuman - and refer to him as Balaji.
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| Doctors claim the tail is as a result of a growth from his Spinal cord |
However, despite his supposed powers Arshid has
to use a wheelchair and he is considering having the ‘tail’ removed. He said:
‘This tail has been given to me by God. I am worshipped because I pray to god
and the wishes of people come true'.
‘I feel neither good nor bad about having a
tail.’ Arshid lives with his grandfather, Iqbal Qureshi, and two uncles, after
his father died when he was four and his mother remarried.
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| Arshid Khan Ali is seen as the Hindu monkey god Hanuman |
However, some doctors seem to have poured cold
water on the locals’ dream of having a god in their midst. Some doctors in
India have told the family that scientifically, Arshid is suffering from a
medical disorder called meningocele. They said the tail is as a result of a '
growth protruding from his spine. This develops when membranes poke through a hole
between the vertebrae, and it can lead to partial paralysis.
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| Arshid believes the tail was given to him by god to help people |
As for Arshid, he does not believe the removal
of the tail will stop the crowds flocking to his house for blessings. He said:
‘Doctors can remove my tail - but people will continue to believe in me.’
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