Living on air; medical tests on saint suspended
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=13319688Thursday, 27 November , 2003, 17:42
Ahmedabad: Medical tests to determine the veracity of a claim of a saint subsisting without food or water for the past 65 years were suspended as the hospital authorities found the heavy rush of devotees for "darshan" disrupting the procedure.
Clad in women's attire, Prahlad Jani or 'Mataji' as he is popularly known, carries a trident. He belongs to the temple town of 'Ambaji,' about 150 km north of Ahmedabad.
The 76-year-old Jani is believed to have spent most of his time meditating in the caves of Ambaji. He claims to have received divine blessings when he was eight and since then his need for food and water have disappeared.
Mataji's' medical observation for 11 days at Sterling hospital from November 12 had aroused the curiosity of the medical faternity here. Even New Delhi's Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS) and Association of Physicians of Ahmedabad had evinced interest in the observation. Speaking to UNI, the Director of Sterling Hospital Dr V N Shah said during the observation period of 11 days the saint did not pass urine or stool, nor did he take a single morsel of food or drink a drop of water.
"A normal human being can remain without urinating for a maximum of seven days, after which they are bound to suffer from renal failure," opines Dr Sudhir V Shah, in-charge of the observation.
"He had shown evidence of formation of urine, which seemed to be re-absorbed from his bladder wall. However, the present committee does not have any scientific explanation for the same," he added.
"The observations ere conducted to find the scientific truth behind Jani's ability and to see if such abilities can be replicated in other humans," Dr Shah said.
"The 11-day observation, however, do not justify his claims that he has been living without food or water for the past 65 years," he added.
The team of doctors monitoring the 'mythical Mataji' are now planning to resume their observations in the near future.
Giving details, Dr Shah said Jani had been under observation from November 12. He was kept in a specially prepared room enclosed in glass. The toilet was sealed off. His activities were monitored round-the-clock through two cameras kept in the room and with security posted outside the room. Hospital staff, on a rotational basis, stayed inside the room all the time.
"However, he was allowed free movement in the room and was allowed to offer prayers as per his requirement," he added.
"Initially the attempt was to monitor Jani for seven days but his excellent health allowed us to prolong our observation. But the mad rush of visitors seeking 'darshan' at the hospital forced us to discharge him after 11 days. He walked out of the hospital in fine health," said Dr V N Shah.
"The results of the first phase of observation, though inconclusive can be summed up as: Jani remained fit and survived his 11 days of observation, he did not take food or water in any form, his blood pressure and pulse were within the physiological range of a normal human, the observation revealed that Jani had an extraordinary ability to stay alive for prolonged periods without eating or drinking," Dr Shah said.
"His biological organs and systems are in far better shape than those of people of his age," he added.
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