Over 50,000 people from different districts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, as well as from other states, received the annual ‘fish prasadam’ from the Bathini family on the occasion of ‘Mrigasira Karti’. The family had distributed 50,000 tokens to those interested in taking the medicine, which will be available for 24 hours. Organizers, with government support, have stockpiled over a lakh fingerling murrel fish for the event, which will continue until 10 am on June 9.
The fish medicine has been popular for many years, attracting large crowds to the annual event held at Nampally’s Exhibition Grounds. Despite warnings from allopathic practitioners, thousands of beneficiaries, including asthma patients, come to receive the free medicine. The practice has faced opposition in the past due to concerns about potential health risks.
Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar inaugurated the event, with other officials like GHMC Mayor Gadwala Vijayalaxmi and MLA Danam Nagender also in attendance. The Bathini family has been offering the medicine for free for over a century, with the support of the Telangana and former AP governments. Patients swallow live fingerlings with yellow herbal medicine to relieve asthma and respiratory issues, while vegetarians receive the medicine with jaggery.
