CHENNAI: Her lips are restless as she murmurs mantras. Her assistants fervently ring the bells. She takes out a half-cut lemon, dips it in a mixture of butter, turmeric and kumkum powder and rubs it on the lower back of the patient, who is mostly writhing in pain due to kidney stones.
With spectators immersed in the theatrics, she pulls out a piece of newspaper she had placed under the patient and shows ‘kidney stones’ that have fallen out.
After sprinkling kumkum on the ‘kidney stones’, she wraps up the newspaper and hands it over to the person accompanying the patient.
Meet Narasamma, who lives in the nondescript village of Amudala on the Andhra-Tamil Nadu border in Chittoor district, and ‘miraculously’ removes ‘kidney stones’ in a few seconds. She charges a nominal fee of `250, but pooja materials and parking charges cost a little extra.
But her magical powers are so extensive that she manages to extract ‘kidney stones’ from a journalist of this newspaper who didn’t have any issues.When the kumkum powder is washed away, the ‘kidney stones’ are nothing but ordinary pebbles. That she manages to recover them through the rectum—the medical world believes kidney stones occur in the urinary tract—is another issue.
However, Narasamma’s fame is widespread. “We are from Hyderabad. I actually took my daughter to a hospital first, then, my brother told me about Narasamma and I brought her here,” says Kishan Reddy, whose 15-year-old daughter is ill.
People as far as Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu know Narasamma. From auto drivers to shopkeepers, everyone recognises the village. Around 15 patients were waiting for her when a team from this newspaper reached her house.
On the verandah’s wall is painted: ‘KIDNEY STONES. Narasamma. Cell: 8008998308. Amudala. Time: 7 am to 1 pm. 2 pm to 4 pm.’ On any given day, at least 30 to 40 people visit her. It is said that around 100 patients visit on weekends.
Banana stem juice a trick?
The trick that Narasamma was popular over the decades for curing kidney stones may be due to the medical value of banana stem juice. In traditional medicinal systems like Siddha, banana juice is considered as a good medicine as it helps dissolve the kidney stones.
You must eat banana on reaching home. And drink theertham before leaving. No non-vegetarian food, no alcohol, no smoking, drink banana stem juice in the morning and evening, no X-ray for a month. If the problem continues, I will give you special treatment.Narasamma