The BBC weighs in today on the young Nepalese Buddha boy, Ram Bahadur Banjan, with this video clip news report. He was the inspiration behind yesterday’s Scrutiny, Science, Siddhi post, and I still find the entire phenomenon fascinating: the flocking of the people, the ensuing media attention, and the resultant dramas.

It’s a hefty sociological, mythological, psychological episode. Is the boy authentic? How much money has been collected in offerings? What’s being done with the cash? Has he really not taken food? What’s up with his haircut? When can the doctors sample his poop? What will that tell us? Is this the future of reality television?

Photograph ? November 20, 2005. REUTERS/Stringer