Happy homecoming for 2-yr-old Lakshmi

Two-year-old Lakshmi is the cynosure of the eyes of villagers of Rampur Kodarkatti in Araria district of Bihar.

Six months ago, she could barely walk owing to an abnormality -- she was born with eight limbs. Today, she is like any other normal kid of her age, thanks to a dedicated team of doctors who operated upon her in Bangalore.

Lakshmi is back in her village and hundreds of people are turning up at her doorsteps to see her.

"She is a craze in her village and in neighbouring villages. Hundreds are thronging to get a glimpse of her as a normal child, thanks to medical science," Shankar, a close relative of Lakshmi, told rediff.com

over telephone on Saturday.

Villagers were awaiting Lakshmi's return since months after her successful operations last year. "Lakshmi was given rousing welcome on her return," Shankar said.

On Lakshmi's return, her family and relatives offered special prayers and performed rituals as a gesture of gratitude to God.

Lakshmi's marathon 27-hour operation had attracted worldwide attention.

Lakshmi was brought to Bangalore in October by Dr Sharan Shivraj Patil of Bangalore-based Sparsh Hospital as an ischiopagus twin having two bodies joined at her pelvis. Only one of the twins had a head, while the other was a parasite. Two pairs of legs and arms were formed at either end of the two adjoining torsos, thus appearing as a child with eight limbs.