Nima and Dawa Pelden now Bhutan’s latest celebrities as they settle back into life

Formerly conjoined twins Nima and Dawa Pelden have been mobbed by well-wishers as they settle back into life at home in Bhutan.

Formerly conjoined twins Nima and Dawa Pelden have been mobbed by well-wishers as they settle back into life at home in Bhutan.

Dozens of worshippers at a temple in the capital, Thimphu, descended on the 20-month-old sisters, keen to see them and offer blessings.

Tourists travelling in the Himalayas also recognised the girls and posed for selfie photos with them and their parents, Bhumchu Zangmo and Sonam Tsherang.

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Dad Sonam, Nima, Dawa, and mum Bhumchu take the them to the Memorial Chorten Buddhist temple in Thimphu. Picture: Alex Coppel.

It was a heartwarming change for the couple, who before the separation surgery had shielded their daughters from the public gaze for fear of how they might be treated.

At the weekend, the family returned to Thimphu’s Memorial Chorten, the temple the family had visited to pray just days before their mercy flight to Melbourne.

The previous visit — the first time the then conjoined twins had been taken out in public — caused a scene when people came to offer them blessings.

The family was mobbed by the crowd as they recognised them. Picture: Alex Coppel

They are the country’s latest celebrities. Picture: Alex Coppel

But during their return yesterday, they managed to go unnoticed for almost 20 minutes, until a young mother recognised the twins and asked for a photo, alerting others to the presence of Bhutan’s newest celebrities.

Within minutes, dozens had surrounded Bhumchu as she knelt on the ground.

Older women tried to touch the twins and offer blessings, as others took photos. One who had come to the temple to pray pointed at Nima and announced that “she is stronger”.

“They have become human beings now.

“Had they stayed back here, it would not have been possible,” she said.

Among the throng surrounding her, Bhumchu recognised an old woman who had approached her on her last visit to the temple.

The woman had promised to pray for the girls while they were in Australia.

Now, with a beaming smile, Bhumchu reassured her: “The twins have come back fine.”

The woman inspected Nima and was delighted to see how healthy the twins were now.

“It is nice to see them back,” she said. “They are speaking English.”