title: Ischiopagus and diprosopus in India: two pairs of conjoined twins perceived as incarnations of Hindu deities.
abstract: This article briefly reviews two specific types of conjoined twins, ischiopagus and diprosopus, and discusses recent cases of such twins born in India. Some members of the Hindu community worshiped these conjoined twins as incarnations of Hindu deities. In discussing this phenomenon, the authors aim to elucidate certain features of the faith tradition of Hinduism itself. The reception of these conjoined twins as incarnations of Hindu deities can be understood by examining two salient features of Hindu polytheism: the pictorial depiction of Hindu deities with multiple appendages and the concept of an incarnation, or avatar, of a Hindu deity.
authors.affiliation: Children's of Alabama, Pediatric Neurosurgery, Ambulatory Care Center, 1600 7th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA, shane.tubbs@chsys.org.
authors.forename: R Shane
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Tubbs
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ditty
authors.forename: Anand N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Bosmia
authors.forename: Arpan N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Bosmia
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018596:Hinduism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000523:psychology; D012067:Religion; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012086:Reoperation; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000523:psychology; D014428:Twins, Conjoined / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery