Gania: Dal and vegetable curry prepared without oil and any condiments sans rice and salt is the only food for this 59-year-old man for last 23 years. And he says he is fit and fine.
While it might sound strange for many of us, it is nothing astounding for the man himself, a Brahmin priest, Girish Chandra Satpathy of Dankari Sahi village under this block in Nayagarh district.
Describing his unusual practice, he says being a Brahmin, earlier he was preoccupied with many appointments to perform ‘pujas’, ‘yajnas’ marriages, sacred thread ceremonies and Shree Ramcharit Manas Nawahna Parayan as ‘vyasa’.
In an average, he would spend seven months attending ‘Shree Ramcharit Parayans’. This apart, he is also known for his knowledge on Astrology, Vastu Shastra and Dasa Mahavidya. He loves to spend his spare time on reading shastras and puranas.
However, the kind of his lifestyle, skipping the usual time for breakfast, lunch and dinner had cost him dearly. 23 years ago, he had complained of sever stomachache. He visited a doctor when it was learnt that he was suffering from severe gastric and intestine related disease.
“The doctor advised an operation. Terrified as I was, on reaching home I started taking some Ayurvedic roots and herbs. After some days, the pain subsided to some extent. Since then, I decided to exclude rice and salt from my platter for good”, he narrated.
And since 1995, he has been living only on dal and vegetable curry with no oil and condiments. For his lunch and dinner, 100 gram of dal and 500 gram of vegetables are required daily. And even a pinch of salt does not go in his food.
When asked what benefits he has observed after giving up on the staple diet rice and salt, he said, “Since the time I have changed my food habit, the disease has vanished and the kind of food I am presently taking gives me much satisfaction. And that excruciating stomach pain has since never visited.”
Now due to his advancing age, he is no longer able to perform the pujas or ‘yajnas’ like earlier, he quipped.
PNN
