Science versus Miracles: Ringing a bell without its rod

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. When people
approached him, he told them that their stars were in very bad position. So
unless they propitiated the Nava Grahas
(9 planets) they would suffer. To see if his prediction was correct he would
give them a bell without a rod. If divine grace was there it would ring. Otherwise,
they would find that the bell did not ring. 

He collected Rs.50/- for the prayaschitta puja and after the prayers
he moved the bell and it rang. He again gave the bell to the person and when he
moved, it did not ring. He said that it was due to the very strong bad effects
of the stars and so he would have to perform another powerful prayer which
would cost the man Rs.5000/- The worried man went home and took a loan
believing that his life would prosper afterwards. The Baba conducted an
elaborate prayer to the planets, held the hand of the victim and moved the
bell. Surprisingly it rang. He blessed him saying that everything would be all
right within a few months. But nothing happened and he found no solution to his
problem. Most of the godman’s victims were unable to repay the loan and
committed suicide.

Experiment: 80

Effect: Ringing a bell without its rod (clapper).

Props: One bell without a rod (bell), and a cow-bell.