Boy, Six, Worshiped In His Village As A Monkey-Like god Because He Has A Foot-Long Tail

A six-year-old boy has found himself worshipped in his tiny Indian village after growing a foot-long tail.

Amar Singh has a patch of thick hair on the small of his back, which has grown to more than 12 inches in length to resemble a 'tail'.

He is from Nijmapur, a small village in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India, the youngest of five siblings.

The family and locals believe that this is some kind of sign that he is connected to the Hindu god Hanuman, a monkey-like deity.

And in less-than flattering terms, the family also believes their boy looks like a cow – an animal considered holy in Hindu culture – affirmed by Amar’s interest in cows. This, they say, is further proof that Amar is a divine being.

The family say Amar was born with the anomalous patch of hair, which was about one inch in length, and then grew over the years.

They say that he is healthy and otherwise a normal boy who does well in his studies at school.

‘Amar is a very loving child,’ says his father, Ajmer Singh. ‘Everybody sees him as a symbol of god.’

 

Mr Singh explains that although the hairs on Amar’s back could easily be cut and shaved off,  the family are hesitant as they consider them to be a ‘gift from god’.

However, the explanation of Amar’s ‘tail’ is less blessed than the family and the village believes.

It is a result of the birth defect spina bifida, which can result in lower-back growths or, as in Amar’s case, a tuft of hair, which can grow into a tail if left uncut.

Spina bifida occurs when the spinal column does not close all of the way down – it is one of the most common permanently disabling birth defects.

The defect happens when something goes wrong during the first month of an embryo's development, meaning the spinal column doesn't close fully.

Exactly why this happens is not known, but the most significant risk factor that has been identified is a lack of folic acid before pregnancy and in the very early weeks of pregnancy.

Symptoms of the condition include learning difficulties, paralysis of the lower limbs and incontinence.

Spina bifida occulta is the least serious type of spina bifida and causes just a very small opening in the spine.

This opening tends to be covered with skin so the gap is not visible externally, as it can be with other forms of spina bifida.

However, this skin often contains a hairy patch or a birth mark.

It usually does not cause any symptoms meaning most people are unaware they have the condition.

Spina bifida affects about one child in every 2,500.

Culled From Daily Mail