Sabarimala
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The Miracle of the Sacred Eagles
CHARVAKA DESK
At Thirukazhukundram, wild eagles’ daily midday visits were hailed as divine miracles. B. Premanand reported the birds were addicted to opium-laced food. Science demonstrates that regular feeding schedules, food-anticipatory activity, and thermal soaring explain this behavior, while India’s catastrophic diclofenac-driven vulture decline explains why the visits eventually ceased.
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Faith versus Universal Compassion – Part II
CHARVAKA DESK
Exploring the gulf between recited ideals and lived reality, this reflective essay examines the nature of religious belief and uncritical faith. Contrasting blind dogma with rational self-introspection, the author argues that true wisdom requires questioning inherited conditioning, rejecting supernatural crutches, and embracing genuine humanism over metaphysical abstractions.
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Scientific Temper Under Siege: Rationalism, the Judiciary, and Public Myths
NARENDRA NAYAK
Narendra Nayak examines the state of scientific temper in India, critiquing judicial reliance on faith in the Ayodhya title suit. It contrasts this with legal victories upholding rationalism, such as quashing FIRs against miracle busters demystifying Sabarimala’s Makara Vilakku, while highlighting ongoing outreach efforts to engage students in rationalist inquiry.