A boy with a seven-inch ‘tail’ is considering having it removed – despite being worshiped as a God. Arshid Ali Khan, 13, may lose the growth even though it made him a divine symbol in the state of Punjab, India. The teen, who is bound to a wheelchair, has been hailed by locals as an incarnation of the Hindu monkey god Hanuman – and refer to him as Balaji.
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 or bad about having a tail.” Arshid now lives with his grandfather, Iqbal Qureshi, and two uncles, after his father died when he was four and his mother remarried. Iqbal, a music instructor, said: “When he spoke for the first time at the age on one all he spoke was the names of Gods from different religions.
“It was that day I realised that he had something divine and godly about him.” He added: “It does not matter whether we are Muslims or Hindus, I think there is just one path for spiritualism.” Arshid’s home was then converted into a temple where his devotees would come to visit him to receive his blessings and touch his tail. “A lot of peoples’ wishes have come true after they have visited,” claimed Iqbal.
“Sometimes there are childless couples who come to Balaji for help. He blesses them, and often they are then able to conceive.” However, Arshid often struggles to balance his time with his faithful devotees and attending school and playing with his friends. “Mostly on weekdays I have to go to school but when I have a school holiday on Sunday around 20 to 30 people come to see me at my home,” said Arshid, who said his schoolmates have accepted his unorthodox lifestyle.
“No one teases me. Everybody wants to see my tail and so they keep asking,” he said. Despite his supposed powers, Arshid has been bound to a wheelchair for most of his life – suffering from an undiagnosed disorder. Some doctors have told them it is down to brittle bones while others have said it is due to the ‘tail’ growth protruding from his spine.
This month he is due to see a doctor who has said he can successfully remove the appendage – but his family are sceptical and say they would rather he kept his tail than undertake a risky operation. But his granddad Iqbal said: “It is for Balaji to decide. If he wants to get the tail removed, we do not mind. “He has trouble walking and so we are asking doctors what can be done.” 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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