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Jawaharlal Nehru on Secularism
Jawaharlal Nehru I shall now come to the proposal which touches upon the exchange of population. In the present context this can only mean a forcible exchange of population. As far as voluntary exchange is concerned, it is already taking place. The doors are open and people come and people go. In fact, it taking…
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The Whip That Spares Its Master
During temple festivals, possessed devotees appear unhurt after lashing themselves with heavy whips, while onlookers who try are injured. The trick relies on physics and physiology: soft, unknotted frayed tails distribute impact energy over a wide area, while knotted whip tips, controlled velocity, and stress-induced analgesia protect the performer from severe harm
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Communal Violence: Who is to be blamed?
Ram Puniyani A friend with dogged determination to show that the BJP is a lesser culprit of communal violence and that Congress is the major party to be blamed, listed the major communal riots in India and showed that most of the time when violence took place, it was Congress which has been the ruling…
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The Scientific Attitude and Religion
DD Kosambi In what follows, some social aspects of religion are considered in so far as they serve to keep India a backward country. The methods of cure suggested are by legislation, education and improved social conditions, with a brief example or two to bring out the basic idea in each case. Reports by great…
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The “Spirit” in a Wick
This article deconstructs the “dancing wick” ritual from South Kanara, where a lit lamp wick wriggles after an oracle collapses. Rather than a divine spirit entering the cotton, the movement is caused by a trapped earthworm struggling against heat and suffocation. Simple physical inspection easily exposes this deceptive cruelty.
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The “Spirit” in the Coconut
antriks exploit families during exorcisms by claiming a self-moving coconut imprisons a captive spirit. In reality, the mechanical movement relies on center-of-gravity shifts caused by a small animal sealed inside and distressed by ritual smoke. Real healing requires medical care for psychological dissociation, not ritual fraud.
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Hindu Nationalism versus Indian Nationalism
Ram Puniyani The debate around Hindu Nationalism and Indian Nationalism is not a new one. During colonial period, when the rising freedom movement was articulating the concept and values of Indian nationalism, the section of Hindus, keeping aloof from freedom movement asserted the concept of Hindu Nationalism. The debate has resurfaced again due to the…
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An Open Letter to Dr K Kasturirangan
Madhav Gadgil Date: Fri, May 17, 2013 9:39 pm Dear Dr. Kasturirangan, JBS Haldane, the celebrated 19h century scientist and humanist who quit England protesting its imperialistic invasion of Suez to become an Indian citizen has said: Reality is not only stranger than we suppose, but stranger than we CAN suppose! I could never have…
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Indian Muslim Youth: Groping for Equity and Security
Ram Puniyani In most communities youth have a serious struggle on hand to look beyond the present for the future, especially their careers, longing for dignity and a decent existence. While this applies to all the youth, the struggle of youth from marginalized and discriminated against communities are much more. It is on this terrain…
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Bodh Gaya Blasts: Terrorist Violence and Political Agenda
Ram Puniyani Since last two decades terrorist violence has been added on to the weapons for polarizing communities along religious lines. In Mumbai for example, we first witnessed the major blasts in the wake of 92-93 post demolition violence, then blasts in the aftermath of Gujarat carnage of 2002 and then 26/11 2008 attack from…
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Sex and Salvation
Margaret Bhatty There was a time when we depended on little green men from Mars for a world-view. After Mars probes debunked them, we now have ETs – computerised caricatures of ourselves. If these voyagers from outer space are as perceptive as Martians were, they too must marvel that as a species we call ourselves…
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God’s Blue Autograph
Godmen claim divine intervention when a sacred name suddenly manifests in deep blue upon their skin at the touch of holy water. In reality, pre-written invisible text of potassium ferrocyanide reacts with dabbed ferric chloride solution to precipitate intense Prussian blue, exposing a routine chemical reaction masquerading as divine authority
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God’s Autograph: his name in the ash
Ascetics and godmen claim divine grace when sacred names magically appear on their skin after rubbing ash from a ritual fire. In reality, the names are pre-written using clear soap or gum. Heat from the fire induces sweat, reactivating the dried letters so fine ash adheres exclusively to them.
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Sleeping with the Enemy: Should minorities get lured by the invitations of Modi And Company?
Ram Puniyani From 2002 Gujarat carnage Gujarat in particular and India in general has seen the rise of Narendra Modi on the political firmament. His propaganda machinery has given him the image whereby he is regarded as the ‘development man, non corrupt, strong and all that. A substantial section of society has bought this propaganda…
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Modi, Advani and Sangh’s Agenda
Ram Puniyani The nomination of Narendra Modi as the chief of campaign committee of BJP for 2014 elections (June 2013) has created more than a storm in the tea cup. Incidentally it is the first time ever that such a nomination has created 24×7 news and controversy. It has a lot to do with the…
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Whither Justice: Fabricated Cases and State
Ram Puniyani Rihai Manch, a forum for getting justice to the falsely implicated youth in the cases of acts of terror has currently (June 2013), a protest Dharna (sit in) to demand the arrest of police and IB officials responsible for the death of Maulana Khalid Mujahid, to implement the R.D. Nimesh Commission report and…
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Why Study Ancient Philosophy?
Ramkrishna Bhattacharya “Why do you study ancient philosophy?” I have faced this question so often that it is high time to give a reply in print. The question may be answered rather tartly, following a famous mountaineer: ‘Because it’s there.’ 800×600 Normal 0 false false false EN-IN X-NONE ML MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable…
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Ignore Those Who Love to Hate:Hate Speech and Communal Politics
Ram Puniyani Mahatma Gandhi, who laid down his life for communal harmony, who was murdered because he was espousing the cause of building bridges of amity between different religious communities had a statuette with three monkeys. One of the monkeys in this puts his hand on his mouth, signifying that we should not speak evil.…
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Port Blair Training Camp on Developing Scientific Temper Concludes
Teaching kids the real science behind “miracles”! Our 5-day training program empowering young minds with scientific temper wrapped up on May 30, 2013. Venue: Science Centre, Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands Event Banner & Workshop Theme Prof. Narendra Nayak Delivering the Keynote Address Workshop Participants Engaged During the Session Demonstrating the Physics and Physiology…
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Burning Water with Psychic Power
Psychics claim elemental power when water erupts into flames at the pass of a hand. In reality, the performer secretly drops a piece of sodium metal hidden inside a thimble into hot water. The violent chemical reaction releases hydrogen gas, which ignites, leaving behind a hazardous solution of caustic soda.
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Science versus Miracles: Piercing a Balloon without it Bursting
A psychic inflates some balloons. He requests the volunteers to come to the stage and gives them the balloons along with needles. He asks them to prick the balloons with the needles and they all burst. Then he takes a balloon and pierces it with a needle. Nothing happens. Thee balloon retains its shape. Experiment:…
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Asghar Ali Engineer’s Struggle for Preservation of Plural Ethos
Ram Puniyani We lost Asghar Engineer on 14th May 2013. It is an irreplaceable loss to human rights movement, anti communal struggle, to the movement for preservation of secular values. This is a small tribute to my esteemed, close and very dear friend. The events of last over three decades have shown us, more than before…
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Eating Hot Chillies Without Sensation
The Practice: Eating Hot Chillies Without Sensation — Charvaka.net Science versus Miracles Deconstructing Supernatural Claims T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S 01The Practice: Eating Hot Chillies Without Sensation 02 The Experiment • Effect • Props & Materials • Method (as practised by performers) •…
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US: No Entry for Mr. Modi
Ram Puniyani Mr. Narendra Modi, for whom some countries are warming up to relate to him in Europe and in the East; the latest report from US must be very disheartening. Despite a strong lobby for pressurizing to grant him Visa, the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), has called on the Obama administration…