I vaguely remembered reading about this somewhere as the program started on the Discovery Channel. Lakshmi was born with 8 limbs to a poor couple in some small village in Bihar. Right from her birth she became an object of intense interest because people started beliving that she was the reincarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. She would have remained so for the rest of her life but she was lucky enough to have been blessed with parents who understood that she needs to get treated for this physical anomaly if she wants to lead a normal life.
Even though the doctors at Sparsh – a hospital in Bengalooru – approached the parents for her treatment, the decision was a tough one because of the apparent risks in such a complicated surgical procedure. The parents, however, made up their minds and flew to Bengalooru. After a plethora of tests the massive operation was undertaken and successfully completed. Lakshmi now leads a normal life with her parents in Rajasthan.
Though it was disturbing to see the camera capture very private moments such as Lakshmi’s parents’ anguish at having to leave their village to travel to Bengalooru, her mother’s crying as Lakshmi was being wheeled to the operation theatre and her restless state during the entire duration of the operation, I can understand that it was necessary to unfold the whole story. Being a cynic that I am, I wondered if the doctor’s caring attitude towards the family was because of the rolling camera. Having said that, it was heartening to see how he tried his best to allay their fear and anxiety.
It was sad to see that the press, however, lived up to their reputation and hounded the family like a pack of vultures – every step of the way. :-(
If you ever get a chance to watch this program, don’t miss it!
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