No fish ‘prasadam’ this year in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: For the third consecutive year in view of the pandemic, the annual event to distribute fish ‘prasadam’ among asthma patients will not be held this year as part of precautionary measures.

Bathini Harinath Goud and his family members have cancelled the fish ‘prasadam’ distribution since 2020 due to the pandemic. Last year too, the second wave forced them to cancel the event. “Though the pandemic situation is currently under control, we decided not to organise distribution as a measure of abundant precaution,” said Goud.

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.