Ruptly
"Thousands of devotees gathered at the Nampally Exhibition Grounds on Tuesday for the annual Bathini Fish Prasadam, a traditional practice where live fish are swallowed to treat asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Footage captured at the site shows vast crowds waiting in long queues to receive a live murrel fingerling stuffed with a secret herbal paste. Organisers struggled to maintain crowd control as attendees took turns to swallow the live fish. "I have a breathing problem and a cough. I need to go to the doctor regularly, and my grandfather told me about this place. So I have come here," one devotee said. Another explained that he had read about the procedure in local media. "There are people from all over India coming here to Hyderabad in Nampally Ground for this," he added. The annual event has been managed by the Bathini Goud family for around 181 years. The family claims the remedy was passed down by a Hindu saint in 1845 under an oath that it must always be distributed free of charge. To facilitate the event, the state fisheries department sourced and supplied the live murrel fingerlings, while volunteers pitched tents to provide food and water to those queuing. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has repeatedly challenged the practice under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954, while raising concerns over the secrecy of the ingredients. Independent medical research indicates there is no scientific or clinical evidence proving the efficacy of the treatment, with experts warning that swallowing live fish can pose choking risks or exacerbate existing respiratory distress."
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