India: Holy man claims fast of decades

[Tiassa]

I figure to start it here, but ... yeah.

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.

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 . . . .

. . . . "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 . . . .

. . . . 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 . . . .

. . . . It is likely that doctors will want to examine Mr Jani again . . . . (BBC)

At any rate, should this story pick up legitimacy, it becomes something less religious and more scientific, but in the meantime ....

Notes:

• Khanna, Rajeev. "Fasting fakir flummoxes physicians." BBC News Online, November 25, 2003. see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3236118.stm

 

[Godless]

Poor guy..

Can doctors explain anything these days?.

All the doctors need to do is grab some of that beard, and look for trace of food, and water.

LOL...

 

[Fafnir665]

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.

I thought that bit was interesting

 

[Cyperium]

I thought so too

 

[evolove]

This isn't unusual, especialy in India, the are said to be different practices you can do that allow you to live without eating, that you draw your energy from subtle spiritual sources. There was a Catholic Stigmatist that after suffering an accident at around 20 I think, couldn't eat for 6 months, and just never started again, I'm not sure if she drank water or anything, I realy can't remember, but she was once visited by a Yogi, they had no disagreements about God, as the God was a Swami and born Hindu, still retaining these beleives, though including all religions as worshiping the same formless God, and in fact Therese Newman (the Stigmatist) refered to Him as a "man of God" and let Him visit when Her Priest told her not to, not that he was a Swami but that she should see anybody on that particular day each week, as She had so many visitors (I think, at any rate the Priest didn't know of this visit) one interesting thing that came from this meeting is that the Yogi remarked to Ms. Newman, "I see that you draw you life energy directly from the either"(-it was around the 1930's) She replied, "I'm so happy you know how I live" being unable to talk about this with most people, She lived in a small German village. Something I thought quite remarkable comming from a Catholic Saint, verifing some esoteric type concept, and one that, as I think meantion, is part of Yogic thought.
There were two notable/reputable people that came to publicly declere they're disbelieve the claims about Ms. Newman, quite strongly, they layed there public reputations on the line at least. Neither disproved any of the phenomena that manifested around the Saint, but declered there truth, and one came to write Her biography.

 

[one_raven]

I can't say whether I think he is lying or not, but this:

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

Made me a little skeptical.
If he lost weight after only ten days, what would more than 62 years of this do?

Also, I have heard of many feats of fasting that defy the "rules" of how long we can survive without food or water, but to not have eaten (therefore gotten no nutrients) since he was 8 years old and still develop healthy?

I am inclined to believe that the fakir might be a faker.