Live fish medicine in India claims to cure breathing disorders
The medicine offered by the family to patients for the last 164 years is a cure for asthma and other breathing disorders
The Bathini Goud family in Hyderabad hosts a peculiar exhibition every year, where they claim to provide Indians with free live fish medicine.
Since 175 years, thousands of people from all over the country have been visiting Bathini-Mrigasira Karthi Fish Prasadam, which takes place on the nights of 'Mrigasira Karti' which falls in June with the onset of the annual monsoon.
The 3cm fish is first tucked inside a live murrel or sardine fish, then dipped into a yellow herbal paste and then pressed down the throat of the suffering patients by the Goud family.
They claim that the small living fish travels wiggling its way through the human throat, pushing the phlegm and making it easier for people to breathe.
Also, the herbal dip used for the medicine remains a secret and is said to be transferred into the Goud Family by a Hindu saint in 1845.
An estimated population of 3 lac people gathered on the night of Fish Prasadam with a security force of 1000 police officers guarding on the outskirts of the exhibition.
Rights activists claim this to be an unhealthy and a ridiculous tradition.
 |
| Indian participants rest prior to receiving fish medicine from members of the Bathini Goud family at the exhibition grounds in Hyderabad |
 |
| An Indian woman collects live fish prior to receiving fish medicine from members of the Bathini Goud family at the exhibition grounds in Hyderabad |
 |
| The medicine has been offered by the family of the southern Indian city to patients for the last 164 years. |
 |
| An Indian member of the Bathini Goud family (R) administers 'fish medicine' to a patient. |
 |
| People come from all over India to try their luck with the live fish medicine. |
 |
| The treatment, which is based on a secret herb formula, draws thousands of people from all over the country |
 |
| The medicine is said to be a cure for asthma and other breathing disorders |
46
Comments (46) Closed
Jun 09, 2015 03:18pm
wow! it is amazing
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 03:27pm
It's an indigenous therapy. Such healing practices were common prior to the arrival of modern or western medicine. If life is served, quality of life enhanced and breathing facilitated - why not have recourse to such life promoting techniques. Wishing all health seekers sound health and care providers success in their noble mission.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 05:01pm
This is good business amongst billion people.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 06:14pm
@Kamal Pasha Might be if billions are affected with Asthma as they charge just 10 Rs
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 07:26pm
Very very funny business
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 07:57pm
no matter how good you do some people would always criticize. a great activity for curing breathing problems.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 08:03pm
I saw the net geo documentary on this and its an authentic medicine..
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 08:08pm
Lol funny
Tuna could be more effective :-)
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 08:30pm
This is not business! They hardly charge 10 rs for the cost of hygienically reared fish.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 08:38pm
@Khalid Baloch
How is that possible? what is science behind it? is it proved by any research?
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 08:49pm
That yellow herbal pate is made up of Turmeric, it is certainly known to cure throat related problems, nasal infections, flu etc. Live fish is a fishy thing here...just to add more hype and drama to it, a fried fish would do...who can deny the benefits of eating fish.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 08:59pm
Silver Fish can be a good alternate, I have seen it people getting cured with breathing problems like asthma.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 09:07pm
Really?? People believe that esophagus (the food tract) has the phlegm instead the of the trachea (the tract for breathing).
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 09:20pm
Totally fake, nothing is there,,,public runing towards to see others public. its a story of uneducated socity
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 09:20pm
I can see they are inserting fish with bare hand. This act can cause spread of disease among them.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 09:23pm
It may not cure breathing disorders but it certainly stops fish's breathing. Voodoo science like India's prehistoric space travel.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 09:54pm
It is nothing more than a placebo
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 10:19pm
To all those who are making statements like like "what a business" and those who are genuinely wondering if this is possible - I am very familiar with this and have been following this for the last 30 years. First of all, there is NO CHARGE for anything other than the cost of medicine which is negligible amount. It is an Ayurvedic medicine that is administered on the "Mrigashira Karthi" day every year continuously for 24 hours. This year it started from 11.45 PM yesterday and will go on for one more hour now. The Bathini brothers who administer this personally prepare the medicine in their houses and the tradition is continuing for 175 years. Some of them work in their own jobs but take leave during this time. Government organizes special buses and trains besides elaborate security to facilitate the event. With almost 99% success rate, one should see the satisfaction in the eyes of those who get cured from this suffering of asthma. Brothers and sisters from Pakistan are welcome too!
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 10:36pm
@Khan .... I agree with you, but what about beef eating, it plants a whole chemical in your system
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 10:49pm
Why secrecy on formula? It seems to be unhygienic and risky. Benefits may be linked to the famous placebo effect.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 10:56pm
The Goud family is continuing this practice for generations. The Goud family does not charge for the medicine. It is the persons selling the fresh fish who charge money for the fish.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 11:16pm
The fact that its being administered for the past 175 years and lakhs of people still turn up to take it, speaks about the impact. Even if a small percentage of the people benefit, it has served the purpose.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 11:19pm
Stone age therapy.
The government should take strict action.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 11:32pm
This medicine works. My sister got cured by this. She is 11 and suffered from asthma. We tried all sort medication and visited highly qualified doctors but all in vein, we all were so worried. Finally we come to know about this. 2 year ago we visited this and took this fish medicine. And she got cured. Later we got her tested too just to confirm and and all tests were negative. She is fine now and living a healthy life.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 11:37pm
@Jaffar I used to live in Hyderabad a good 25 years ago. This mumbo-jumbo was there at that time too. I remember special trains ran to transport patients from far way places of India. If it worked, by now asthma should have been a thing of the past! But the pics here are the best I have seen.
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 11:44pm
@Common Indian Man well 10 Rs × 3 lac is 30 lac. Just in one day. Not bad huh
Recommend
0
Jun 09, 2015 11:52pm
@Syed SO you have a business idea. What are you waiting for?
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 12:17am
Can't they eat it by themselves or is it necessary to be fed by someone like that funny way?
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 12:39am
well i have seen this in a program on discovery channel.If this really works so what about the multinational pharmaceutical companies working on making different asthma inhaler and medicines. They asked Goud family about the exact formula of the herb used but they denied even denied a million dollar offer.!!
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 01:01am
@shani : No it has to be fed by a Guru otherwise you will go blind!
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 02:13am
The cure for bacterial asthma is chlorinated water. Inhale it into the lungs.
There are two forms of the disease. It is possible the good bacteria on the fish scales can overcome the bad bacteria in the lungs. Wouldn't rule out the fish cure.
The most common form of asthma is caused by diesel engine exhaust.
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 02:33am
placebo effect...
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 02:45am
I have allergies and I found home made remedies work better than the chemical based medicines. For sneezing, burning eyes, clogged nostrils, I put 1 drop of almond oil in each of my nostrils once every 10 days to keep the passage ways lubricated. I do this for 2 months of the year especially before autumn when my allergies kick on.
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 04:13am
@VAMSI If only a small percent are getting cured, it is likely to be just a post-hoc fallacy claim. Every false treatment will look like it cured the disease in some cases because of this fallacy. We Indians use non-scientific meds, and especially homeopathy, because they do not understand this important fallacy. Its probably also the case with Pakistan which has similar science literacy.
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 04:18am
Faith healers. Why don't they do double blind study to find its effectiveness just like any modern medicine.
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 04:20am
@syn I am from this region of India. There is no science behind it. The explanation offered is complete nonsense for anyone who understands basic anatomy. It is very popular. It does not work. Folk popularity is never proof of effectiveness in medicine. But people think it works because we south-asians don't understand scientific thinking and go by hearsay information instead.
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 07:07am
"Fish is good however don't forget your INHALER"
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 07:21am
@ali BRO can you manage with 30 lac a whole staff for a year its never profitable business
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 08:02am
It worked for 2 of my cousins and one cousin who now healthy is studying in London school of Economics and effected even after 20 yrs due to extreme weather there.
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 08:05am
Humans will run pillar to post to fix disease. From temples to pirs to mosques to churches. Nothing bad about it if it helps people. To each his own. But maybe need more hygiene and gloves ?
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 08:28am
@ali Yes, and like fish and making the paste and making arrangement for 3Lakh people doesnt cost anything.
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 11:04am
Just for info of readers, this treatment has worked with my relative. There is no foul play in this treatment.
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 11:07am
@Khan My friend... I am not sure if you are aware, but indians prefer eating with their hands. They also serve their kids with bare hands..How many cases of disease spreading have you heard in India? And what diseases have spread in India so far? West is riddled with diseases be it bird flu, MERS despite eating with fork and spoon. Indians despite the unhygenic living conditions are still healthy compared to the so called sophisticated west. There must be some reason!!!
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 11:16am
@sam Modern medicine Therapy couldn't be able to complete cure of Asthma,Piles,Spondilitis,Tennis Elbow,cervical etc,Homeopathy and Ayurved have best remedies for these diseases,If one can believe in Ganda Tabiz then why not in herbal fish medicine,its a matter of faith.
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 11:59am
@Kamal Pasha its free,,,absolutely free.
Recommend
0
Jun 10, 2015 10:35pm
can they make some good faces ! :p
Recommend
0