AGRA: In a quiet nondescript village in UP’s Mainpuri district, grief has given way to fervour. A baby girl declared stillborn by doctors and diagnosed with a fatal congenital condition has been proclaimed by her family as an “incarnation of Goddess Kali”. AGRAThe child was embalmed and buried on Feb 2. Soon, the burial site was decorated, a photograph of the “goddess” was installed, and bhajans, kirtans and havans began to be held regularly. Villagers said that thousands of rupees have been offered at the spot and preparations are underway to construct a temple there.Radha Devi, 25, wife of Kanchan Kumar, a labourer from Halpura village, delivered the baby at community health centre (CHC) in Kuchela on Jan 21. The family said the birth had been foretold in a dream in which a goddess told Radha: “I am taking birth from your womb.” Treating the dream as a divine sign, they shared the account with neighbours and word quickly spread across surrounding areas.CHC in-charge Dr SS Bhadoria said, “The woman delivered a stillborn baby girl and the body was handed over to the family.”Medical experts identified the condition as anencephaly — a severe and fatal congenital disorder in which major portions of the brain and skull do not develop. Paediatrician Dr Hemant Kumar Sharmma in Muzaffarnagar said on Wednesday, “The condition develops in the early weeks of pregnancy and may be linked to several factors, including maternal weakness or deficiencies such as Vitamin B12 or folic acid.”Despite the medical explanation, belief took root in the village. Geeta Devi, a neighbour, claimed that after the baby was brought home, she drank milk and urinated before being dressed as goddess Kali and seated for worship. Another neighbour, Aman, said the child appeared divine and that she had asked for a place of worship.Residents from nearby villages, as well as towns such as Etawah, Firozabad and Shikohabad, visited the site. Some said the baby’s large eyes reinforced their belief that she was a manifestation of the goddess.A similar episode occurred in 2017 in Farrukhabad district, where a baby born with severe congenital deformities was declared stillborn at Lohia Govt Hospital and diagnosed with anencephaly. At the time, some residents attributed religious significance to the incident and even expressed intentions to build a temple in remembrance. (With inputs from Punit Lal)
