Arjuna's Fingers — Chris Manfield

Ekalavya’s Right Thumb

One day Drona and his students went out into the forest, accompanied by a dog that started barking incessantly. When the barking suddenly stopped, they found the dog unhurt, but was muted due to the arrows that had filled its mouth without injuring the animal. Amazed and distressed as he had promised Arjuna that he would make him the greatest archer in the world, Drona wondered who such a fine archer could be. The archer of course was none other than Ekalavya, who upon seeing Drona, approached him and bowed. Drona asked where Ekalavya had learned archery. To which Eklavya replied, "under you, Guruji". He explained that he had learned archery by mimicking a statue of Drona. Arjuna who was promised by Drona to be the greatest archer in the world became incensed and reminded Drona of this promise. When Drona asked Arjuna what he could do to make things right, Arjuna asked Drona to remind Ekalavya, that in order for one to truly be Drona's pupil, Ekalavya would have to make a proper honorarium. This Drona does. Without hesitation, Ekalavya offered to do anything for Drona. At Arjuna's behest but with some reservations, Drona asked Ekalavya to cut off his right thumb as to impair his ability to shoot the bow and arrow. Without hesitating, Ekalavya cuts off his right thumb and presented it as honorarium to Dronacharya.

– Excerpt from the Mahābhārata

In 2022 I had the honor to photograph a pair of postaxial polydactyly, before and after its surgical removal.