One Religion's Reincarnated Deity Is Another Religion's Monzo, Amazing Monkey-Man Sideshow Freak

Indians Tail Monkey Man in Search of Healing Powers

from Financial Express

KOLKATA, India: Thousands of people are flocking to an impoverished village in West Bengal to worship a man they believe possesses divine powers because he climbs up trees in seconds, gobbles up bananas and has a "tail."

Devotees say 27-year-old villager Chandre Oraon is an incarnation of the Hindu god Hanuman - worshipped by millions as a symbol of physical strength, perseverance and devotion.

"He climbs up trees, behaves like a monkey and is a strict vegetarian, but he is no god and his condition is just a congenital defect," says Bhushan Chakraborty, the local medical officer.

Tucked away in a hamlet in Banarhat, over 650 km north of Kolkata, devotees wait for hours to see or touch Oraon's 13-inch tail, believing that it has healing powers.

Doctors said the 'tail' - made up of some flesh but mostly of dark hair - was simply a rare physical attribute.