Hyderabad: Fish prasadam to be administered on June 9

Hyderabad: The annual fish prasadam will be administered to the people with asthma at Nampally Exhibition Grounds here on June 9.

Bathini Harinath Goud and his family members, who administer the traditional fish prasadam every year, are resuming their services this time after a three-year break due to the COVID pandemic.

The Bathini family members called on Minister for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Talasani Srinivas Yadav at the Secretariat here on Tuesday and discussed arrangements for the fish prasadam programme.

On the occasion, Minister Srinivas Yadav directed the officials concerned to make elaborate arrangements to ensure the success of the programme.

He said as there has been a break for the last three years due to the Covid pandemic, it is estimated that the people in large numbers will visit the fish prasadam centre this time.

The Minister said that arrangements should be made in coordination with Bathini family members and the authorities, including Municipal, Water, Transport, Police, Electricity, and Fisheries departments, should be prepared for an action plan for the smooth administration of fish prasadam at the venue.

Every year, the event is held at Nampally Exhibition Grounds during Mrigasira Karthi in the first week of June, which heralds the onset of the monsoon. Thousands of asthma patients from various parts of the country gather in the city to receive the fish offering.

The asthmatics gulp down a live ‘murrel’ fish with a yellow herbal paste in its mouth, which is believed to provide the much-needed relief if taken for three consecutive years. For vegetarians, the family gives the medicine with jaggery.