Milind G
Lakhs of people from all over the country come to Hyderabad on Mrugasira Karte (which falls on June 8 & 9 this year), the monsoon arrives in the state as per the Hindu calendar, to partake the fish remedy from Bathini Goud family.
Bathini Fish Remedy – The Bathini family has been administering this remedy for the past 163 years for free. The brothers administer a tiny live sardine with its mouth stuffed with herbs, deep inside the throat of the patient. The secret of the herbal mixture is only known to the Bathini family. However when the ritual became embroiled in controversy the number of people coming for the remedy drastically declined (around 70,000) last year.
Recently the Andhra Pradesh Lokayuktha said that the state government should not extend support to the annual distribution of the popular Bathini fish remedy, as it is conducted by private persons. But can the crowd management of nearly 70, 000 people be left to the private persons. It does not appear as simple as he states.
The Bathini Goud brothers claim the treatment can cure asthma and other respiratory ailments. The state government provides accommodation for the event. It also extends all kind of civic and law and order assistance. The government viewed it as a part of medical tourism as thousands of people from all over India visited the state to participate in the remedy, thereby generating revenue for the state.
However, the remedy has been mired in controversy for the past several years, as some rationalists and doctors say the medicine is not scientifically-proven. And many supporters say, in these modern times, there are many such treatments and faith-healing which is also not scientifically-proven, but, works wonders and most importantly, provides relief to persons. It could be attributed to the remedy or it is as they say, just in the mind, which gives the person a cured and good feeling. But as long as there are no side effects or it does not do any harm to the person, it’s their faith in the remedy that works.
