COMM: 53-year-old Bharat, known locally as the ‘Bendy Priest’, lives in Madhya Pradesh in India.
COMM: Despite his disability, Bharat believes he is a reincarnation of a legendary priest
known in Hindu culture.
COMM: Bharat thinks that his unusual physique was caused by God
and not as a result of a medical condition.
COMM: But a local doctor is looking into what might have caused such extreme changes to his bones.
COMM: Although the doctor is unsure of what has caused Bharat’s deformities, it could be a condition
called Skeletal Fluorosis, which is caused by an accumulation of excessive Fluoride in the bones; often
caused by too much fluoride in local drinking water.
COMM: Despite his disabilities, Bharat lives a fulfilled and happy life within his community.