Coins, Fishes and gold powders...
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 11:11PM After reading Deepak's post on the coins people throw into water fountains and fish ponds, I had a theory!!
I do see the occasional quarter or nickel, other than the usual plethora of pennies. Incidentally I have a theory on why people throw pennies in the shopping mall fish ponds!
When we were in Waikiki a few years ago saw a mall with a fountain and lots of Coi fish. The bottom of the water was filled with pennies, international coins, but mostly coins which were a golden bronze color. The fish looked large and healthy.
Came home after that trip and got a fishtank! When the fish were sick, the PETCO dude gave me fish medicine. Guess what element the medicine contains ? Lots of COPPER!! So maybe the copper in the coins helps the fishes survive ??
This theory immediately made another connection in my head. My dad told me during my wedding that there is a reason why we wear a gold ring in our right had and eat on a silver plate. Apparently the gold rubs against the silver and we ingest trace amounts of gold and silver every day and these elements are good for us in trace amounts.
I knew that the film legend MGR was known to attribute his strength and complexion to "Thanga Baspam" and "Velli Baspam" (literally gold and silver powder) which he used to take as part of his diet. As a kid, I have taken these powders when I was really sick and the western doctors gave up on me. The local Siddha healers gave me these powders and a whole bunch of other concoctions which probably saved my life! But my dad's statement did raise some questions like :
1. If this is good, how come women dont wear the same ring and eat in the same plate ?
2. If this is good, then why wait till the wedding to give that gold ring and the silver plate ?
3. What about copper ? Is that why we drink water from copper vessels ?
4. What about lead ? Didn't we all drink rasam from our great grandma's "Eeya Chombu" which probably would have retarded us all with lead poisoning!? or maybe we need lead in small amounts too ?
Hopefully there are people out there who have answers to these questions, and who knows my theory for the pennies in the fish ponds may not be way off the mark!!
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Reader Comments (6)
I can only ask questions ! Such questions ! pertinent they are. Do let me know if someone gives you correct answers !
"If this is good, how come women dont wear the same ring and eat in the same plate ?" - Well, that doesnt fit into this scheme of things. The answers lie elsewhere !!
Hi,
The picture at your profile is very cute....
May GOD bless you all with many more moments of togetherness!!
Sundarji,
I have had the same doubt whenever people dropped coins while crossing Krishn river during my childhood. My Mom used to keep some coins while travelling to Hyderabad, and used to tell me to remind her or wake up if she had slept. I heard from someone elder it is just for the future. The coins can go and stay in the soil and could throw some light about the past for the future generation. But for few things we never need any reason. If somebody does something the mob follows it in India. I have challenged this and have done it in some places before my friends. For example, while we on a pilgrimage I looked in one direction and rotated my left hand and did few funny things and looked at the sky and did a praying posture. Within few minutes there was a queue and people were doing the same. After an hour, there were still people doing the same, rotated their left hand and did the few actions which I did. There were few garlands left in the place as well. LOL.. Believe it or not, this happened 20 years before.
so far no answers Kavi.
Swatantra, thanks.
:)
Balaji Sir, you are dangerous!
:)
Interesting discussion and thinking process..
We certainly do need almost all elements in varying amounts - bar Mercury.. we get most of them from plant sources but some others have to be externally taken, especially for vegetarians. While copper is considered to be generally more important, silver and gold are less so.. may be after marriage for some other specific requirements they are needed.
I used to wear a copper ring during my childhood, and observed that it would appear 'polished' after eating curd/mour (?!) rice. The proteins and acids in the curd had a tendency to dissolve the surface-oxidized copper, which was consumed. Initially I was scared but later when elders told me it was ok, I didnt mind. So, may be ur fish pond theory is indeed true.. :)
OMG! And to think that it was a passing observation!
Perhaps that explains why the kids in TaRaRumPum (who have their bath in a public fountain) were so cheerful and healthy.. well, scratch that.