Organisers unsure of holding fish medicine event next year

Organisers unsure of holding fish medicine event next year Curtain Falls On Two-Day Event, Turnout Pegged At Over 2 Lakh TIMES NEWS NETWORK  Hyderabad: The two-day fish prasadam event, that draws thousands of asthma patients looking for a miracle cure by devouring live fingerlings, came to a close on Sunday. However, organisers said they were unsure of hosting it again next year.     The Bathini family’s dilemma stems from the umpteen hurdles they faced this year and the fact that the government seems to be in no mood to support them next year. They were first made to run from pillar to post to get a venue and were later dealt a blow when the Lokayukta criticized the government’s support saying the ‘fish medicine’ has not been scientifically proven. The Lokayukta relented for this year after it was informed that people had already turned up for the medicine.     Even as the High Court has stayed the Lokayukta order for this year, the Bathini family, which discovered the ‘cure’ several decades ago, is a worried lot. “We are hoping the government will support us in the future too. If not, it would be very difficult for us to provide this service on our own,” said Harinath Goud, a senior member of the family. “We do this service for free and we are very weak financially. How can we foot the bill for the arrangements and the venue?” he asked.     However, notwithstanding the legal tangles and the stampede that occurred last year, thousands of people from across the country turned up for the distribution this year. "Till I landed here, I did not know there was any controversy. For me and many others from outside the state, such things do not matter as we will come here for the medicine anyway. We believe that this medicine will cure asthma," said Surinder Singh from Delhi, who was here last year also.     The fisheries department said the turnout was more than last year, with 40,765 fingerlings supplied as compared to around 38,000 last year. “Apart from the fingerlings supplied by the fisheries department, there were a few private vendors who sold it at the venue,” Harinath said. This apart, many vegetarians opted for the medicine stuck into jaggery. “We had prepared the medicine for 3 lakh people and it is almost over,” said a Bathini family member. Others pegged the turnout at more than 2 lakh.     The medicine was administered by the Bathini brothers on the occasion of ‘Mrigasira Karthi’ from 1 pm on Saturday to 1 pm on Sunday. However the crowds swelled mainly in the early hours of Sunday as the rains lashed the city on Saturday evening. After the curtains fell at the Nampally event, the service was provided at the ancestral home of the Bathini family in Doodhbowli.     "This medicine cured me of the asthma. I had come even last year but it was utter chaos. I hope they conduct it at Exhibition Grounds in the future too since any other place would cause great inconvenience to the public,” Mahesh Kumar from Warangal.