Asthma is one of the most dreaded diseases, after Aids and Cancer. The trouble with Asthma is that it does not kill the patient, but makes him suffer throughout his life. The very sight of any Asthma patient sitting up the whole night, unable to breathe, wheezing and suffering to see off the night will make ones heart burn out. Even today, scientists throughout the world have unable to invent a perfect cure for this dreaded disease.

Q. Tell me when did this all start, and how did your family get-start this great service
A. It all started in the year 1845 A D. Our great grand father Veeranna Goud used to distribute toddy along with white bread to the poor labourers after they came back from the days work. He was a generous and a charitable person. One fine day a muni (Saint) walked into his shelter and stayed with them for some days. He was impressed by the nature of Veeranna Goud. Now this saint had the formula of herbs, which would cure all lung-related diseases. He gave that secret formula to Veeranna Goud and blessed the house.

The saint asked him to administer the medicine free of cost and not to expect any rewards from the patients. Now even after 156 years, this process continues and patients from all parts of the world come here to take this medicine.

Q. What is so specific about the day i.e. Mrigishira Karthi

A. It is very important that this wonder medicine is administrated on a particular nakshatra (star). Bathini Fish Medicine is given on Mrigishira Karti Nakshatra. Three doses of the extra medicine is also provided to patients, which is to be taken on three successive Karthis, i.e., Arudra Karthi, Punnavasu Karthi & Pushymi Karti which falls every fifteen days in the duration of 45 days. After taking Bathini Fish Medicine the patient has to be under strict diet control for 45 days, as suggested. This medicine has to be taken for three consecutive years.
Click here for the diet control directions

Q. How are you continuing this tradition, do you involve any person outside your family

A. No outsider will ever come to know about this secret formula, only the members of this family will continue this. Not even our daughters are told about the formula, since after getting married they move into different families. Only the sons and their wives, will know about this secret formula.

Q. Why is it mandatory to use that specific fish for administering this medicine, is there any alternative for vegetarians

A. The Murrel Fish, which is used in the Bathini Fish Medicine is relatively small in size and this live fish travels through the throat, wagging its tail and fins. In the process it negotiates the phlegm congestion and provides 100 % cure for the decease.

Q. Did anyone try to lure anyone of your family members at any point of time, during the past 156 years to reveal this secret formula

A. Ooh… there have been scores of people during the past century or so. But none of our family members did ever reveal this to outsiders. People even tried to blackmail us and gave us death threats.

Q. During these years, did you ever face any problem in administering the medicine

A. Only once. In 1998, from 4th of June the city was rocked with communal riots and curfew was imposed in the city. And scores of people from all parts had queued in for the medicine and had doubts whether this year the administration of medicine would take place or not. But on 6th of June, our Chief Minister Mr Chandra Babu Naidu personally talked to me and persuaded me to shift the venue to Nizam College. So, for the first time the medicine was not administered at our Doodh Bowli house.

Q. How did the Government help you further in organising this, every year

A. The government along with some voluntary organisations like Lions Club, Aggarwal Samaj have been very helpful in organising the event every year. From the past few years the government has streamlined the purchase of fishes used in the medicine. The department of fisheries has been very co operative in this regard. The Aggarwal Samaj has been arranging for the accommodation for the outstation patients.

Q. Tell me something about the alternative medicine for vegetarians

A. Actually there are three variants for this medicine. One is the normal Fish medicine, the second is the alternative to the vegetarians. Here the medicine is used along with Jaggery. The third variant is given in the form of three modules, which has to be taken accordingly with a gap of 15 days between each dose.

Q. How does modern science support the Bathini Fish Medicine

A. An year back there was a debate organised by the Star Plus Channel, between our family and the Apollo Hospital doctors. There were heated arguments about this medicine. Many scientists from Japan came here and took the sample of the medicine and had done extensive research on this. They took a patient and conducted research on him. But, they could not find anything. Whether science supports this medicine or not, it’s objective is curing the disease.

Q. Did you face any kind of duplicity for this medicine, where others claimed it from your side…

A. Yes, it happened some times. Many unknown people claimed to have come from our side and administered some dubious medicine. This even took the life of some people. I once again, request the patients not to get into such traps. We do not have any branches or agents, anywhere in the world. This medicine is administered only at the venue in Hyderabad, on Mrigishira Karthi, which tentatively falls between 7th – 8th June every year.

Click here for more details about the Bathini Fish Medicine