Meet Lakshimi, a six-year-old residing in Uttar Pradesh, northern India. She holds the fourth position in my family. Lakshimi was born with a facial anomaly, prompting surgeons to intervene. The surgery left her face seemingly divided, with two noses, a prominent scar running down the middle, widely spaced eyes, and a mouth split in two.
Initially, Lakshimi’s appearance evoked fear in those she encountered, and her family worried about potential discrimination and criticism. However, over time, the local community began to venerate her as a deity, seeing her as the embodiment of Lord Ganesha, a revered Hindu god.
Dubbed Lakshimi by the locals, meaning the goddess of wealth and prosperity, she became a focal point of festivals, where people gathered to offer gifts and monetary support, seeking her blessings. Some even undertook pilgrimages from distant places to seek her divine favor.
Currently, doctors advise Lakshimi’s family to wait until she matures before considering further cosmetic surgeries to enhance her appearance. However, their financial constraints make this a challenging prospect, prompting them to seek external support to afford a better quality of life for Lakshimi.
The sight of the person lying in the coffin left the two daughters profoundly shaken.
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