Offbeat: Thousands arrive for fish prasadam!

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June 10, 2011 / Hyderabad / Deccan Chronicle.

An asthma patient is administered fish prasadam by a member of the Bathini Goud family in Hyderabad on Wednesday.


The fish prasadam, and jaggery prasadam for vegetarians, was administered to nearly 40,000 people at the Exhibition Grounds by 10.45 pm on Thursday.

The administration of the prasadam by the Bathini Goud family to asthma patients and others with bre-athing problems started on Wednesday night and concluded on Thursday night.

The Hyderabad district collectorate authorities have asked the Goud family to shift the fish prasadam administration from Exhibition Grounds to the five-acre land allotted to them near Katedan in Rajendernagar from next year.

Meanwhile, the AP Balala Hakkula Sangham organised an event to administrate ‘frog medicine’ to mock the fish prasadam and educate people.

The Sangham said despite SHRC directions to ensure that children were administered the prasadam in a hygienic way, no measures were taken. It also sought `3 lakh ex gratia to the family of a boy who died in an accident while on his way to take fish prasadam.

I am unable to make any comment, though I feel it is a sheer nonsense without any scientific basis, as it has been happening since a few generations and is done on only one specific day and for free, no matter how many visitors come on that date.  The visitor profile is of remote corners of India - North-East, East, North, West, South and from all sections of Society.  There were some who claimed they were cured or were feeling better; probably some kind of faith-cure.

And there is not pecuniary interest in this established against Goud Family, so far.

Courtesy:  Deccan Chronicle.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/hyderabad/thousands-arrive-fish-prasadam-392