Of course, a craniosacral therapist would get off on this...

No, this is not an image born of Photoshop...

This is Lali, born one month ago to impoverished parents in Saini, 25 miles from New Delhi, with a rare condition known as craniofacial duplication. Even though this condition often comes with more serious health problems, she is doing well. She can eat out of both mouths and opens all four of her eyes at once. She even shares one dimple between her faces. Isn't she lovely? I really do think so...

The people of Northern India seem to think so as well. Hundreds of pilgrims have visited her to touch her feet out of respect and receive blessings. She is being worshipped as the reincarnation of the Hindu warrior goddess Durga, also known as Parvati. The village chief is going to build a temple to Durga there, to help raise money for the family to take care of Lali.

Maha Durga, or the Great Mother, was created from a fusion of all of the female divine forces. Legend has it that during a great battle with demons, Shiva advised all the gods to concentrate and release their shaktis. These formed into The Invincible One, with 10 arms holding each of the gods' weapons, and a tiger to ride. Durga protects humankind from evil and misery by destroying evil forces such as selfishness, jealousy, prejudice, hatred, anger, and ego.

Is that irony, Dave Eggers?

It just makes me wonder what would have happened to this little girl if she had been born into American culture, with its...excuse me...buttload of "evil forces"? OK, I know there is darkness all about, but what an amazing difference in perspective to worship someone who is unique and rare rather than worshipping the silicone goddess with the gleaming teeth known as Botoxia, whose single power is to turn a hairy stinking human into an ageless liposucked clone with a deer-in-the-headlights look and puffy lips.

But I'm ranting now....maybe I should go pack for my pilgrimage...


[Lali's photo credit: Manan Vatsyayana, AFP/Getty Images]