More on yogi who has not eaten or drunk anything for several decades

may 14th, 2010

i fully expect sanal 'rationalist except when it comes to christist hoaxes like m teresa' edamaraku to emerge from the woodwork and pontificate on how this yogi is a fraud. of course, m teresa's hoaxes did not worry him at all, nor do all the other christist hoaxes, such as jesus' face appearing on a highway overpass or on a piece of burned toast.

and perhaps muthuvel 'social justice = encouraging christist apartheid' karunanidhi will too.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sri 
Date: Tue, May 11, 2010 at 4:24 PM
Subject: More on yogi who has not eaten or drunk anything for several decades
To:

Experts baffled as Mataji's medical reports are normal

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_experts-baffled-as-mataji-s-medical-reports-are-normal_1380169

DNA Correspondent / DNA
Friday, May 7, 2010

Ahmedabad: Usually, if a person does not urinate for 72 hours, he faces grave chances of kidney failure, say medical practitioners. But Prahalad Jani, affectionately known as Mataji, who claims to have survived without food and water for 65 years, and on whom a team of 30 doctors conducted rigorous medical tests, has not passed stools or urine for 65 years. It has baffled medical experts and scientists.

"During the tests we found that in Prahalad Jani's bladder, the amount of liquid fluctuates even when he does not pass urine," said a member of the team of medical experts that conducted medical tests on Mataji.

Fifteen days of medical tests (which began on April 22) on Mataji were completed on Thursday at 3:30pm and all reports of medical tests — cardiac, MRI of chest, abdomen and spine, EEG reports — were normal. And this at the age of 82 years.

Dr G Ilavazahagan, director, Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), and neurologist Sudhir Shah, while briefing reporters about Mataji's medical reports, said different tests at different time were conducted as per the protocol set up by partners.

"We did blood tests for haematology, biochemistry, hormone profile and the reports were in the pre-determined safety range throughout the observation period as per the protocol," said Dr Shah.

Doctors said they will take time to analyse the reports, but they have decided to meet every fortnight to discuss different medical results to reach a conclusion.

They said Jani's nerve conduction studies revealed normal nerve function, which is not likely in a person of his age. "Mataji's EEG is also normal and we are analysing data during meditation if there are any changes," Dr Shah said.

Mataji's lung functions is quite normal, as per reports by Dr Mukesh Patel and his team. Physician and diabetologist Dr Urman Dhruv is also part of the team that is conducting this observational study in collaboration with Sristi and the government of Gujarat.

Observational studies are being conducted to understand the mechanism by which Mataji is able to survive without food and water. During the study, a protocol of round-the-clock surveillance was followed with the help of CCTV cameras and personal observation. Mataji was taken out for MRI, USG, and X-ray examination and exposure to sun under continuous video recording.
 

 

Fasting fakir flummoxes physicians
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3236118.stm

 

By Rajeev Khanna BBC correspondent in Ahmedabad

Doctors and experts are baffled by an Indian hermit who claims not to have eaten or drunk anything for several decades - but is still in perfect health.

Mr Prahlad Jani under surveillance in hospital

Prahlad Jani, a holy man, or fakir, who is over 70 years old, has just spent 10 days under constant observation in Sterling Hospital, in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad.

During that time, he did not consume anything and "neither did he pass urine or stool", according to the hospital's deputy superintendent, Dr Dinesh Desai.

Yet he is in fine mental and physical fettle, say doctors.

Most people can live without food for several weeks, with the body drawing on its fat and protein stores. But the average human can survive for only three to four days without water.

Followers of Indian holy men and ascetics have often ascribed extraordinary powers to them, but such powers are seldom subject to scientific inspection.

Mouthwash

"A series of tests conducted on him show his body mechanism is that of a normal person," said Dr Desai.

Mr Jani spends most of his time in a cave near the Ambaji temple in Gujarat state.

He has never fallen ill and can continue to live like this Bhiku Prajapati, Mr Jani's devotee

He spent his 10 days in hospital in a specially prepared room, with a sealed-off toilet and constant video surveillance.

To help the doctors verify his claims, Mr Jani agreed to avoid bathing for his time in hospital.

The only fluid he was allowed was a small amount of water, to use as mouthwash.

One hundred millilitres of water were given to him, and then collected and measured in a beaker when he spat it out, to make sure none had been drunk.

Thank goddess

A statement from Ahmedabad's Association of Physicians says that despite no water entering his body, urine nonetheless appeared to form in his bladder - only to be re-absorbed by the bladder walls.

Hungry for blessings: Mr Jani receives a devotee in hospital

At the end of his confinement, doctors noted no deterioration in his condition, other than a slight drop in his weight.

"I feel no need for food and water," says Mr Jani, who claims he was blessed by a goddess at the age of eight and has lived in caves ever since.

He grew up in Charod village in Mehsana district and wears the dress of a devotee of the goddess Ambaji - a red sari-like garment, nose ring, bangles and crimson flowers in the hair.

He also wears the vermilion "tika" mark on his forehead, more often seen on married Hindu women.

His followers call him "mataji" or goddess.

More tests

He says he has survived several decades without food or water because of a hole in his palate.

Drops of water filter through this hole, he says, sustaining him.

"He has never fallen ill and can continue to live like this," said Bhiku Prajapati, one of Mr Jani's many followers.

"A hole in the palate is an abnormal phenomenon," says Dr Desai.

His colleague, Dr Urman Dhruv, told the BBC a full medical report is being prepared on Mr Jani's 10 days under observation.

Doctors say they cannot verify his claim to have not eaten or drunk for decades - but by observing his feat under laboratory conditions, they hope to learn more about the human body.

It is likely that doctors will want to examine Mr Jani again in order to solve the medical mystery he has presented them with.