Are you suffering from ‘Asthama’? Haven’t your medicines cured it? Then try this ‘Fish Prasadam’ which cures Asthama.

The Bathini Goud family, which administers the 'fish prasadam' (murrel fish and a herbal paste) since 1945 began the exercise at the Nampally Exhibition Grounds this morning

Thousands of people from various parts of the country came to have 'fish prasadam' on Wednesday.

Police made elaborate arrangements to see that the event is peacefully conducted and voluntary organizations also pitched in to help the patients.

Harinath Goud, one of the elders of the family said "This is scientific. People have taken our samples to labs in Japan, Germany and got them tested. The concept is that when live fish moves, wagging its tail and fins through the throat, it clears all congestion. Thus, providing cure to asthma."

The medicinal properties of the 'fish prasadam' have often been questioned by scientists, rationalists and others, but that has not stopped people from arriving in the city in large numbers every year to receive the 'medicine'.

Bhargava, founder of the Centre of Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), said that the practice made no sense.

"It is a joke. Looking at the condition of certain self-proclaimed god-men and god-women in the country, it is no surprise to me that the event occurs year after year," he said.

"There are so many questions that the family leaves unanswered. Why does the fish have to be given on that particular day? What is so special about the day? Why is it that particular fish?" he asks.

He goes on to say "According to standard practices in India and all over the world, any 'medicine' must clearly state all its contents, but yet the family does not want to reveal their so-called 'secret' citing pharmaceutical greed and continues to peddle it under the label of a 'prasadam' now."

The 'fish prasadam' is administered on the day of 'Mrigasira Karthe', which usually falls on June 7 or 8, the organisers said.

The family claims to be offering the 'fish prasadam' for the last 170 years. The herbal paste is stuffed inside a live murrel fish and slipped into the throat of the patient.

The formula is said to have been told to a family elder 170 years ago by a holy man. It is a said to be a closely-guarded secret within the family.

Also Read: 40,000 given fish, jaggery prasadam

By M. Divya Shri