Until he turned 5, there was nothing peculiar about Basori Lal that would make his family treat him differently. But when the 5-year-old boy from Madhya Pradesh stopped growing like other kids of his age, they realized that his height seemed a bit off.
But with no means to consult a doctor, they could never determine the real reason behind Basori Lal’s stunted physical growth.
Today, a 50-year-old Basori is only 29 inches tall and a mini-celebrity in his village whom everyone loves, and adores to be around.
He lives with his brother Gopi Lal, 55, and his wife Satia, also 50. The man, who can easily be mistaken for a child, given his short height, has no qualms about his size.
But this wasn’t always the case.
During his growing up years, many bullied and picked up on Basori Lal for his short height and child-like stature. But the family was poor and couldn’t afford medical treatment for him. In the words of his brother Gopi:
“Nobody was able to take him to a doctor. We are poor people, I am a labourer. Where would I take him?”
But for his family, Basori Lal has always been a real hero. His brother proudly says:
“People from different villages come to our house to see my brother. That’s a blessing for us. We feel proud that people love and care for Basori.”
Gopi’s wife, Satia, is equally fond of her brother-in-law and admires his positive attitude towards life. As she describes:
“Basori is a man with positive thinking. He doesn’t have any regret of being short. It doesn’t bother him. All he needs is happiness, good people around him, and a good whisky!”
Basori Lal doesn’t want to get married.
“I want to work like I am doing right now. I always want to live with my brother,” he says.
Basori Lal may have a child-like appearance but he loves his whisky just like any other man. He takes immense pleasure in his height and celebrates it with a glass of whisky every day before going to bed.
“I need a glass of whisky before I go to sleep. That’s my way of celebration,” he adds.
In a world where some people are never satisfied with their looks and keep making efforts to tweak them artificially, Basori Lal’s attitude is inspiring.
All photos via Rare Shot/Daily Mail