They are just five and seven years old, but it’s not chocolates and chips that Joshna and Shanti are after. Both the sisters in the seaside village of Mondarmoni, in India’s West Bengal, love to eat three kilos of green chillies each every day.
Shanti and Joshna, the daughters of fisherman Jatin Sadhu, are considered “miracle children” in their village, about 200 km from Kolkata.
“Shanti started eating chillies when she was two years old and Joshna had her first chilli at the age of four. They never complain that the chillies are hot, nor do they ever develop a sore mouth,” said their father. “Every day they need 2-3 kg of chillies each. They chew on chillies as if they are having toffees and juicy fruits.”
There’s never a dearth of chillies, as Jatin’s brother-in-law Arun Mondal is a chilli farmer.
“Often Arun takes my daughters to his chilli farm. One day he saw Shanti plucking chillies one after another and eating them,” said Jatin. “He thought the child would soon scream, but no such thing happened. After that Shanti got addicted to chillies. Joshna too joined her sister soon.”
Neighbours say the sisters are “blessed” and that is why they do not find the chillies hot.
Jatin took the girls to a local doctor for a thorough checkup. “But the doctor, Swapan Samadder, found them fit,” Jatin said.
Samadder said the taste buds of the girls were apparently unable to distinguish anything hot.
“It’s surprising that even their livers and other internal organs are not affected after eating so many chillies every day.
“Nevertheless, I have requested the father to keep his daughters away from chillies because I am sure in the long run it will affect their health,” Samadder said.