Fish Prasadam Distribution Begins

The annual dissemination of the Bathini Goud fish medicine at the Nampally exhibition grounds began on Wednesday morning, and will continue till Thursday night.

Drinking water facilities have been arranged and tents erected for the asthma patients expected to flock the event. The Goud brothers expect upto 3 lakh asthma patients to avail themselves of the natural medicine this year.

With the heavy rush that is ususally recorded for the event in view, Hyderabad Police implemented route diversions to better manage the flow of traffic. All vehicles are being stopped at the Malakunta road, and patients must walk to the grounds thereon.

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) directed the district administration to ensure that hygiene is maintained at the medical camp so that children are shielded from communicable diseases.

This directive of the SHRC is its response to the petition filed against the fish medicine camp by the AP Balala Hakkula Sangham. The petitioner called for the ban of the medicine as it could have side-effects on children, and they pointed out that currently each Goud administers the medicine to patients without washing his/her hands in between.

The Goud brother, however, argued that the fish medicine was being distributed for the last 156 years, and that there was never any complaint of the medicine having adverse effects on anyone.

For newcomers, the fish medicine is essentially a "prasadam" (whose preparation is a well-guarded secret) from the waters of what is considered to be a holy well, placed in the mouth of 2-2.5-inch-long murrels. The live murrels are forced down the patients' throats.

The brothers explain that the slippery murrel traverses the esophagus easily and the movement of its tail and fins clears any matter obstructing the muscular pipe.

They claim that this natural medicine is effective, and that asthma patients will be cured of their illness by consuming the fish medicine annually for 3 consecutive years.