Fasting Fakir?

[arcticbiker]

From the BBC News site:

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"

Could this guy give David Blaine a run for his money? The story says he claims to have not eaten or drunk anything for several decades. Somehow, I have my doubts.

He was watched for 10 days, and the story says he didn't even drink water during that time - I find this difficult to believe too. Could it be that he's very clever at sneaking stuff (food, drink, dancing girls, etc.) without being caught? Just look at that beard! He could probably hide a small freezer and microwave oven in there!

 

[arcticpenguin]

Did you notice the picture & caption?

Hungry for blessings: Mr Jani receives a devotee in hospital

So others were allowed to enter his room. There's one possible flaw in the observation setup.

 

[arcticbiker]

D'oh! I saw the picture, but didn't read the caption. I thought this might be the case (that his followers could sneak food and water in), but the body of the story says he was under "constant video surveillance", so I had assumed they would not allow visitors.

 

[El Greco]

So what ? The record for surviving without food and water is 18 days. Not by a fakir or something, but by a prisoner who had been forgotten in a cell.

 

[arcticbiker]

The record for surviving without food and water is 18 days.

Really? Do you have a source for this? I checked Google, but didn't turn up anything useful - just the usual "people can survive for a maximum of 3 days without water" sort of statement, which could just be urban myth.

 

[El Greco]

Really? Do you have a source for this? I checked Google, but didn't turn up anything useful - just the usual "people can survive for a maximum of 3 days without water" sort of statement, which could just be urban myth.

Google for "Andreas Mihavecz"

 

[arcticbiker]

The first page I got to says this:

The common cold and flu can be quickly and effectively cured with dry fasting. Dry fasting also helps to get rid of kidney stones.

So I don't think much of the reliablity of statements on that page! Some of the others seemed better, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. They do say he was "close to death" after his ordeal, though. I'm definitely not trying it anytime soon.

 

[roger]

Perhaps you should have titled the thread "faking faster"

 

[El Greco]

The first page I got to says this:

So I don't think much of the reliablity of statements on that page! Some of the others seemed better, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. They do say he was "close to death" after his ordeal, though. I'm definitely not trying it anytime soon.

There have always been quacks using actual facts for their purposes. This is a fact though. It was also in the Guinness book.

 

[richardm]

There were two things that struck me about this story.

He has apparently survived for "decades" without eating or drinking anything.

Yet after just 10 days under close observation he has lost weight.

Something there doesn't seem to quite add up!

 

[HarryKeogh]

There were two things that struck me about this story.

He has apparently survived for "decades" without eating or drinking anything.

Yet after just 10 days under close observation he has lost weight.

Something there doesn't seem to quite add up!

exactly, stick him in there for another 2 weeks. if he's done it for decades that couldnt possibly hurt him.

 

[HarryKeogh]

So what ? The record for surviving without food and water is 18 days. Not by a fakir or something, but by a prisoner who had been forgotten in a cell.

i read that in guinness a few years ago and i still think about that poor guy.