B Premanand Experiment: 81 Effect: Joining two jute threads without leaving a knot. A tantrik promises to bring a squabbling husband and wife together when they are on the verge of divorce. Most Indian wives, being economically dependent on their husbands, rush to a tantrik or godman to save their marriage. To prove that he…
Abraham Kovoor This is the transcript of a panel discussion on Witchcraft – Fact or Fiction broadcast by CBC (Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation) on March 23,1971 in its feature “Forum of the Air”. Participants: Dr. Nandasena Ratnapala (Moderator), Lecturer, Vidyodaya University. Mr. Abraham Kovoor – President, Ceylon Rationalist Association. Mr. George Ondaatjie – Member, Ceylon Rationalist Association. Prof. C.E.C. Bulathsinghala – an astrologer and palmist.…
B Premanand A godman in Madras, Pandrimalai Swami (now dead), was caught with 76lakhs of rupees unaccounted money in 1976. He was a clerk in the Registrar’s office and resigned when he found that it is more paying to be an astrologer and a tantrik. No one goes to them unless he has a problem.…
Abraham Kovoor The following news item appeared in many Indian newspapers:- “Vasanth Babu Rao, 48, of Poona was a consumptive and a diabetic. On January 6th 1965 he had a severe chest pain, and was rushed to a nursing home in the city, but died shortly after admission. The doctor at the nursing home certified that the…
B Premanand In 1984 at the international Occult Conference held at Delhi and chaired by the then Supreme Court Justice VR. Krishna Iyer, one Balti Baba asked some person from the audience to write down a question each and keep the paper in their pocket. Balti Baba then immersed similar pieces of paper in a…
B Premanand In the 1980’s a godman from Jaffna in Sri Lank came to Kerala, broke 101 coconuts on his head, and distributed the coconut water as prasad to devotees. He claimed that he lived only on coconut water Mathrubhumi Weekly published a cover page article with pictures of this godman and challenged our committee to…
B Premanand While on a vijnan yatra in Maharashtrn in 1981, Vilas Baba, a godman from Phelton, challenged us that if we proved that his miracle ia false he would pay us Rupees five lakhs. His challenge was published by many vernacular dailies in Maharashtra. We agreed to investigate his clim and fixed a day…
B Premanand Once while in Bombay, a youth approached me to help him. His mother, a widow, was not able to get her daughter married without dowry and was approaching many godmen to bless her. At that time, a particular godman was visiting their home to conduct -prayers. The youth needed my help to expose…
B Premanand Satya Sai Baba’s paternal uncle (father’s younger brother, Chinna Venkappa Raju) was a magician and it was he who taught him magic tricks. The first trick which Satya Sai Baba performed at his school was to take out pencils, rubber, sweets etc., from an empty bag and surprise his class-fellows and teachers. Then…
Abraham Kovoor (Selections from the Writings of Abraham Kovoor) On 25th January, 1969, the following challenge from an anonymous religious fanatic appeared in The Times Weekender:- “CHALLENGE TO MR. K. To Face the Unknown Terrors of an Unseen World? Abraham T. Kovoor, rationalist, has from time to time over the years laughed to scorn all…