Thousands take fish prasadam

HYDERABAD: Thousands of people stood in line to avail the fish 'prasadam.' The convention is believed to cure asthma. Members of the Bathini Goud family were distributing raw fish stuffed with a herbal paste which reportedly cures asthma and other breathing ailments. A subject of controversy, patients participated in the hopes of relieving their physical troubles with the "miracle drug". A yellow herbal paste is pushed down a murrel fishling's mouth and then dropped into the mouth of the patient. The Bathini family vouches by the treatment believing the fish makes its way down the chest, clears congestion and provides relief. Three doses of the prasadam are also given to the patient, with instructions to consume them once every 15 days over the 45-day period.