Sungazing

Hira Ratan Manek (born September 12, 1937) claims that since June 18th, 1995, he has lived exclusively on water, and occasional tea, coffee, and buttermilk. He says sunlight is the key to his health, citing the Jainist Tirthankara Mahavira, ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Native Americans as his inspiration.

Three extended periods of his fasting have been under observed control of scientific and medical teams. The first lasted 211 days in 1995-96 in Kolkata, India under the direction of Dr. C. K. Ramachandran. The second lasted 411 days in 2000-2001 in Ahmedabad, India under the direction of a 21 member team of medical doctors and scientists led by Dr. Sudhir Shah and Dr. K. K. Shah, the acting President of the Indian Medical Association. Dr. Sudhir Shah won an award for his synopsis. The third study lasted 130 days in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Thomas Jefferson University and University of Pennsylvania under the direction of Dr. Andrew Newberg and Dr. George Brenard.

The Solar Healing Center (which was started by Manek) is focused on helping humanity to develop a better understanding of how the sun can be used to heal the mind, body and spirit and as a result of sungazing obtain better physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.