The miracle of male babies

Bhaskar Reddy & Prasaad Bhosekar
For ages now, it’s been no secret that Indian families are ready to do anything and everything for the highly-sought after male child. While this craving was manifested in the gruesome incident of female foeticide in Punjab where dozens of female embryos were found in a well near a hospital, down south in Andhra Pradesh it has resulted in a rather bizarre herbal treatment. Correspondents Bhaskar Reddy & Prasaad Bhosekar investigated this new craze with the help of hidden cameras. Alluru village in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh has of late become the destination of expecting mothers who are making a beeline for a herbal hospital that claims to guarantee the birth of a male child for expecting mothers in their third month of pregnancy. The treatment involves a special herbal preparation, which is naturally a secret formula, and it is poured into the nose of the pregnant woman. A lady doctor by the name of Rajeshwari is behind this treatment and has already become a well known name within the district as well as in the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The treatment begins with a pooja known as Parvati Parameshwar during which the pregnant patients are made to lie down on the floor in a row. Then the secret preparation is poured into their noses, one by one. The treatment is complete and bananas are distributed to all the patients in the form of a Prasad. The Zee News team spoke to some of the patients who have undergone the treatment for their comments. Subbamma is a firm believer. Her daughter-in-law went through the treatment not once but twice and on both occasions she gave birth to a male child. She was making her fifth visit to the hospital as her villagers considered it auspicious to have her accompany them for the treatment. Her grouse however is that despite repeatedly bringing patients, the hospital doesn’t give her candidates any discounts. Subbamma also resents the commercialisation of the business as everything seems to have a price. A meal costs Rs. 25, Rs. 20 for use of the bathroom, even the cots come for a price. Although in her latest visit, the cost of the treatment was Rs. 110, it is usually Rs. 116 depending on the satisfaction of the patients. Literacy does not seem to come in the way of belief as there are plenty of educated people who flock to the hospital in the hope of a male child. One of them is Renuka from Chittoor for whom it is her first visit. She says she decided to come after hearing everybody talk about it. However there are also the disgruntled lot like Tambu from Alluru. In his case the treatment had the opposite effect. He now has four daughters despite his wife undergoing the treatment not less than thrice. However each time the treatment was followed by the birth of a daughter. Ironically enough after three failed attempts, the couple decided to forgo the treatment for the fourth pregnancy. Then lo and behold, not one but two sons were born when his wife delivered twins. Rajeshwari started the hospital with her husband Kumaraswamy after her father-in-law disclosed the recipe to her for the miracle treatment. He had been bed-ridden and eventually passed away after giving the treatment for 52 years. Apparently he gave the recipe to Rajeshwari alone and not even to his son, her husband. But in a curious twist of fate, it is ironical to note that this miracle couple who help pregnant women deliver the much-desired male baby, are themselves without any children, neither male nor even female.