Fish Prasadam

Fish Prasadam
Location(s)	Exhibition Grounds, Nampally, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Years active	1845–present
Organised by	Bathini family
Website	[1]

Fish Prasadam is organized by Bathini family, has been held every year for over a century on the auspicious day of 'Mrigasira Karthi' marking the onset of the monsoon according to the Hindu calendar.The ritual involves the administration of a live murrel fish stuffed with a secret herbal paste, believed by many to be a traditional remedy for asthma and respiratory ailments. The Bathini family which has been distributing the fish prasadam for over 177 years.

The 'Fish prasadam' is a traditional remedy administered by the Bathini family of Hyderabad, this ritual takes place every year during the arrival of monsoon. The members of the Bathini family drop a live murrel fish filled with a yellow herbal paste into the throats of patients suffering from respiratory illnesses. If the patient is a vegetarian, the medicine is given with Bellam (jaggery) instead of fish. The people are advised not to drink water until 30 minutes after the 'prasadam' is consumed. They also prescribe a particular diet and are asked to take the fish prasadam for three consecutive years.

After taking fish prasadam, one should take the extra quantity of medicine given and make six tablets out of it and dry them in shade. These tablets should be taken thrice over a period of 45 days one on empty stomach in the morning and the other after dinner.

Every year, the prasadam will be given free of cost by bathini family.

History

On a stormy Mrigasira Karti night in the year 1845, a wandering soaking-wet holy mendicant from the Himalayas knocked on the door of the Bathini family. He was tired and hungry. The man of the house, Veeranna Goud, a toddy merchant, who always helped people in need, fed him, and gave him dry clothes and shelter for the night.

The next morning when the sage was leaving the house, he whispered the secret formula of the fish cure for people with respiratory issues to Veeranna Goud. This secret fish recipe has been passed down the ages and currently, Veeranna’s great-grandsons Late Vishwanath Goud and Late Harinath Goud are honouring the legacy and distributing the fish prasadam.

For decades, the Goud family distributed the medicine in Doodh Bowli, Hyderabad but during Chadrababu Naidu regime the family was persuaded to do it on the sprawling Exhibition Grounds for proper crowd management.

Instructions

• No intake should be taken 3 hours before and after the medicine.
• A special diet must be followed for 45 days.
• Every 15 days, take an extra dry medicine with lukewarm water before eating — one round pill.
• At night, 30 minutes after dinner and just before bed, take one more pill with lukewarm water.

Diet

After taking fish medicine following diet may be taken for 45 days as prescribed by the Bathini family:

1. Old Rice
2. Wheat
3. Sugar
4. Goat Meat
5. Leave of Cola (Chamakura) Casio
6. Spinach
7. Anoti Bhaji
8. Snake Guard
9. Cola Casia (Arbi)
10. Dried Pieces of Mangoes Old
11. Koyagura (Koya Leaves)
12. Ginger
13. Garlic
14. Turmeric
15. Karad Oil
16. Tur Dal
17. Black Pepper
18. Black Gram Dal
19. Red Chilli Powder
20. Salt
21. Clarified Butter (Only Cow’s Ghee)
22. Mosambi
23. Figs (Angeer - Fruit/Dry)
24. Tea (Only with Cow’s Milk)
25. White Jowar
26. Idly without Chatni (Only in Travelling)
27. Bread & Biscuit (Only in Travelling)
28. Heat the Iron Rod, Sink in Butter Milk made from Cow’s Milk & Drink It

Transport

Fish Prasadam event place can be reached from Nampally Railway station, Gandhi Bhavan metro station and Nampally Metro Station. TGSRTC is running special buses to the venue from key destinations, including Secunderabad, Kacheguda, Nampally railway stations, JBS, MGBS, and also from all corners of Greater Hyderabad.