Thousands in India queue for 181-year-old tradition that claims to cure asthma with live fish
Thousands of people gathered at the Nampally Exhibition Grounds in Hyderabad on Tuesday, June 9, to take part in the annual Bathini Fish Prasadam, a traditional practice promoted as a treatment for asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
Footage from the event showed large crowds waiting in long queues to receive a live murrel fingerling filled with a herbal paste prepared by the Bathini Goud family.
Organisers were seen managing crowds as participants took turns swallowing 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 participant said he learned about the event through local media.
“There are people from all over India coming here to Hyderabad in Nampally Ground for this,” he added.
The Bathini Fish Prasadam has been organised by the Bathini Goud family for approximately 181 years. According to the family, the remedy was passed down by a Hindu saint in 1845 with the condition that it must always be distributed free of charge.
To support the event, the state fisheries department supplied live murrel fingerlings, while volunteers arranged food, water and shelter for attendees waiting in line.
The practice has faced criticism from medical organisations. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has repeatedly challenged the treatment under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954 and raised concerns about the undisclosed ingredients used in the herbal paste.
Independent medical research has found no scientific or clinical evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of the treatment. Health experts have also warned that swallowing live fish may pose choking hazards and could worsen respiratory distress in some cases.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
