My syndactyle right thumb

Iam different from most humanity in that Iam born different and may not strictly fit into the legal definition of a man in the sense I have a syndactyle right thumb with two fingers for a thumb adhered to each other and very similar to that seen in Hrithik Roshan. I became concious about it as a child as I was a point of discussion for many and the elderly around took a fond passion in feeling my fingers which Iam somtimes amused about myself. Sir Garfield Sobers the legendary cricketer had something like this.

My mother used to be a very decisive woman.At birth the doctor at the hospital was of the opinion that the finger could be operated upon but my mother was very firm in stating that "nothing doing"- she had the temerity to over rule the observations of the doctor. My son has an extra finger and not one less and please leave him alone and dont tamper with it. In retrospect I think my mother had taken a very apt decision which many a woman would not take with the kind of firmness needed by the hour. I was born at the Fathers Hospital in Cherukunnu a village in Cannanore district of Kerala. This is the only thing I know about this place as I have never stayed at this place for all practical purposes.

Please note that strictly speaking all the laws of the land do not apply to me as I do not figure perfectly vis-a-vis the legal definition of man and could be a moot argument in situations. I think the law should take efforts to encompass within its ambit people like me who are extra-social. I have met few people in life to be precise "two" during my course of life who share the same condition but there are very few of them around. The other I have only seen is Hrithik Roshan.

Have I been different from people around? I think very much so. I have always lived with a faith system that very often defies conventional logic and reasoning. The ability to see light when every one says it is dark. This I hold the most distinctive feature of my value and thinking system and I think to a large measure it is good. Iam personally autonomous as I look at situations in my own light and do not wager easily into the collective. This has given me problems of various kinds but I endure them.

I was barred from joining the Navy for this condition. I find myself distinct from others in being compassionate to fellow beings a shade more than many around and i dont mind breaking a few laws to be so. The ability to imagine is a trait I have observed to have in abundance so much so that the only thing I do is imagine and may not be to the liking of many around who constantly engage themselves in some made-work. The faith system that I said I possess has not always served me right but I still hold on to it with ever increasing firmness.

I have a word of advice to parents who may have such children. Do not operate or do any kind of surgical interference into such conditions which can be counter productive. Leave the child alone and never in the least force such a child into any surgical procedure for reasons what-so-ever without the complete consent of the child. I think some laws must be brought into force to protect the rights and priveleges of such children.

Rakesh Roshan must be listening.