Annual Fish Prasadam in Hyderabad: Thousands Swallow Live Fish to Cure Asthma

An asthma patient is administered a traditional fish medicine in Hyderabad. Every year thousands of asthma patients arrive to receive this fish therapy from the Bathini Goud family, a secret formula of herbs, handed down by generations only to family members. The herbs are inserted in the mouth of a live sardine, or murrel fish, and slipped into the patient's throat. (Image: AP)

Asthma patients from different parts of India rest in the open after arriving in the city for the annual fish therapy session that begins in Hyderabad. Thousands of asthma patients are expected to swallow a live three-centimetre-long fish stuffed with a medicinal paste in the hope that it would give them relief from nagging respiratory problems. (Image: AP)

An asthma patient waits with a live fish to be administered 'fish medicine' in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)

An asthma patient is administered a traditional fish medicine in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)

An elderly asthma patient waits with a live fish to be administered 'fish medicine' in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)

Asthma patients from different parts of India rest in the open after arriving in Hyderabad for the annual fish therapy session. (Image: AP)

Asthma patients queue-up before being administered a traditional fish medicine in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)

An asthma patient is administered a traditional fish medicine in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)

Asthma patients from different parts of India rest in the open after arriving in Hyderabad for the annual fish therapy session. (Image: AP)

An asthma patient is administered a traditional fish medicine in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)

An Indian asthma patient is administered a traditional fish medicine in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)

Asthma patients from different parts of India rest in the open at the Annual Fish Prasadam camp in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)

An asthma patient is administered a traditional fish medicine in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)

Asthma patients from different parts of India rest in the open after arriving in the city for the annual fish therapy session, in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)

An asthma patient is administered a traditional fish medicine in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)

An elderly asthma patient waits with a live fish to be administered 'fish medicine' in Hyderabad. (Image: AP)