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 of 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."
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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