CHARVAKA

Rationalism. Secularism. Freedom

Secularism

  • Undermining Gandhi’s Legacy: Reflections on Martyrdom Day

    RAM PUNIYANI

    In an era where systematic efforts attempt to erase Mahatma Gandhi’s monumental role in shaping a united India, this essay critically examines recent distortions around his legacy. From historical revisionism to ideological attacks, explore how his vision of secularism and mass consciousness built the foundation of an independent nation.

  • Re-Debating Secularism
    A Secularist Responds to Minister Rajnath Singh

    CHARVAKA DESK

    In this response to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Ram Puniyani defends secularism against claims that it is an ill-fitting Western import. Examining constitutional history, sociological reality, and Hindu nationalism, Puniyani argues that preserving secular values remains vital for safeguarding Indian democracy, protecting minority rights, and maintaining pluralism against growing political distortions.

  • Returning Honors is an Attempt to Save Democracy

    CHARVAKA DESK

    The flood of artists, scientists, and writers returning state honors represents a critical stand against growing intolerance in India. Rejecting claims of a “manufactured rebellion,” Ram Puniyani highlights how this collective protest exposes rising communal violence, institutional subversion, and an urgent need to protect the nation’s democratic and pluralistic fabric.

  • Modi on Rampage: Reckless Abuse of History

    RAM PUNIYANI

    History is increasingly weaponized for contemporary political agendas in India. This article examines how communal politics abuses both ancient myths and modern historical events—from temple destructions to the tragedy of Partition—to undermine democratic nationalism. It offers a critical analysis of the long-term colonial, feudal, and ideological factors that truly drove Partition.

  • The Social Outlook of the Cārvāka/Lokāyata
    A Reconstruction

    RAMKRISHNA BHATTACHARYA

    Ramkrishna Bhattacharya explores how the Cārvāka/Lokāyata school opposed caste and gender discriminations in ancient India. Reconstructing its social outlook from hostile Vedāntin sources like Kṛṣṇamiśra and Śrīharṣa, he demonstrates that its materialist rejection of scriptural authority produced an egalitarian, anti-śāstric philosophy with enduring democratic relevance for modern secular society.

  • The Materialism of the Charvakas Lokayatikas

    VASILIĬ VASILʹEVICH BRODOV

    Ancient Indian materialism, represented by the Cārvāka Lokāyata school, sharply rejected Vedic authority, priestcraft, and supernatural deities. The doctrine asserts that the universe originates solely from four material elements—earth, water, fire, and air. Direct sense perception serves as the only valid source of genuine knowledge, denying any existence after physical death.

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    Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) – 8th National Conference

    CHARVAKA DESK

    The 8th National Conference of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA) will be held at Nagpur, Maharashtra, on 11th and 12th February 2012. FIRA, an apex body of more than 75 rationalist, atheist, skeptic, secularist, and science organizations in India, is committed to the development of scientific temper and humanism in India. The Federation…