13 July 2023 , 18:00
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A teenager with a 2ft-long tail is worshipped in India as a Hindu god.
Suresh has a huge clump of black hair growing from the bottom of his back, extending outward just like a tail.
The 14-year-old has had the hair since he was a child. Over the years, the clump has grown and grown, now measuring 2ft after being styled into a braid.
Residents of Barwani, Madhya Pradesh, India, have compared Suresh to Shri Hanuman, a Hindu god who has a long monkey's tail. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic Ramayana.
Doctors suggested that Suresh's tail is the result of a rare genetic condition, although another school of thought is that it is due to a lack of nutrients during his mother's pregnancy.
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According to his older brother, their father attempted to slice the tail off when Suresh was just five-years-old. This resulted in the young lad falling ill.
Suresh has been worshipped with some comparing him to the Hindu God, Shri Hanuman (Jam Press/Rare Shot News)Despite some of his stunned neighbours revering Suresh as a god, others have mocked him.
The teenager is now desperate to get rid of his tail as a result, although sadly it doesn't look like doctors will be able to help him, reports the Daily Star.
Suresh says the abnormal clump of hair impacts his life beyond simply being made fun of. He says it irritates him, impacting his sleep and the clothes he can wear.
Suresh, 14, has had the tail for much of his life (Jam Press/Rare Shot News)
Suresh’s two-foot long tail growing from his back (Jam Press/Rare Shot News)It is also painful when he sits down or gets up, and he says he has trouble focusing on his studies.
In the Hindu epic, Hanuman is almost tortured by people trying to set his tail on fire.
He is able to grow the tail longer and longer and when it is eventually lit, it shrinks again allowing him to break free.