The 12 Fingered Man Louise and Stuart's Amazing India Travel

I, Stuart first met the '12 Fingered Man' in Udiapur in 1989. In 2007, (Featured on The Travel Channel's l 'What's your Trip' Episode 7 broadcast January 10-2009). Louise and I found ourselves wandering around the busy little shopping district of Udiapur. We always have our eyes open to discover any new and interesting items to sell on our soon to be published web-site, http://www.PortalToIndia.com so when we noticed some unusual perfume bottles in a shop window, we went in to explore. Although sterling silver jewelry, (jewellery) and tribal art are what we usually look for, the bottles were intriguing.The proprietor pointed out that the bottles were made of specially molded camel hide. As I was mentioning to Louise that I had seen such bottles only once before, the man asked Louise "What is different between your hands and mine?". He was smiling like a fox and had a smug nonchalant look on hisface as he poured perfume into a small glass bottle. Louise was a bit perplexed and said that his hands were a bit darker than hers. On closer inspection, she added that they were also larger. Larger! They were larger because there were six fingers on each hand! Each finger was perfectly formed, articulated, and positioned in a symmetrical line. Her astonishment was all the man could ask for. He was as proud as punch of his hands, and rightfully so. They were like a link in the chain of evolution. Maybe we were meant to have 12 fingers! He explained that he was married and had children, but none of his children inherited their father's special trait. Obviously, I had wandered into the same shop that I had visited 9 years earlier. It's always nice to rediscover old friends. The twelve fingered man rests on the fringe of being one of our most unique Indian friends.

Namaste!

Thanks,