At first, the village children were frightened when they saw Lakshmi; they would run and hide behind their mothers when the little girl came near. Others shouted things at her that she didn’t understand, but that initial fear faded when the adults began to interpret her malformation as a divine sign.
Little by little, the entire community changed the way it saw her. The mothers, who had once avoided the family, now brought their children so they could receive Lakshmi’s blessing. Meanwhile, the fathers began to kneel before her.
Today, at religious festivals, it is common to see the little girl seated on an improvised throne. People approach in procession, offer her coins and sweets, and whisper prayers in her ear.
Doctors advised Lakshmi’s family to wait until she grows up to see what cosmetic surgery can be performed. But that, unfortunately, would put an end to her career as a deity.