Cooper Scooper

Stephen Louis Cooper has been embraced as a descendant of Bahuchar Mata, the revered goddess of Indian eunuchs.

Cooper says “I love wearing a sari as I find wrapping a sari very sacred,” and sports rings in his nose and ears as he blesses thousands of eunuch devotees who make a pilgrimage to their leading temple. He told the BBC that he saw pictures of several Hindu Gods during his travels and “I could feel my energy being hreflected in a different way,” when he saw one of Bahuchar Mata riding what else, a cock, which he had tattooed on his arm.

“People here have been lovely. They touch my feet and when I touch their head I feel the love and joy – pure and taintless,” he says. Because he speaks only English he cannot communicate with his devotees.

Cooper would like to spend the rest of his life at the temple, where he lives in a guest house of the temple trust, but has some earthly constraints – his 6-month tourist visa will run out soon.