Basava Premanand
Encyclopedia
Basava Premanand was an eminent skeptic and rationalist from Kerala
, India
.
, Kerala
. His parents were followers of the Theosophical movement.
In the 1940s, Premanand quit school to take part in Quit India Movement
. With that ended his traditional schooling. His next seven years were spent in newly started Sri-Steila Gurukula, where the Shantiniketan-Wardha brand of education was imparted.
Around 1975 Premanand started publicly denouncing the Indian godman, Sathya Sai Baba
, and devoted his life to expose godmen and paranormal
phenomena. Premanand used his skills as an amateur magician
to give a natural explanation of the alleged miracle
s of gurus and godmen. "Guru Busters", the documentary by the British film maker Robert Eagle
, features Premanand displaying and teaching many supposedly supernatural stunts such as levitation, flesh piercing and live burials.
From 1976 his most famous target was Sathya Sai Baba
. Premanand was arrested in 1986 by the police for marching, together with 500 volunteers towards Puttaparthi
, the town where the main ashram
of the guru is located. In the same year he sued Sathya Sai Baba for violation of the Gold Control Act
for Sathya Sai Baba's materialization
s of gold objects. The case was dismissed, but Premanand appealed on the ground that spiritual power is not a defence recognised in law.
He took active part in Vigyan Yatra (Rally for Science) organised by Maharashtra Lok Vidnyan in 1982 to popularise science and scientific thinking as well as in the Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha held in 1987 espousing the same cause.
He later founded the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations
, which tours the villages of India
to educate people by debunking gurus and fakir
s whom he considered fraud
s or self deceived. He also was the convener of Indian CSICOP
, a Tamil Nadu
based skeptic group which is an affiliate of CSICOP. He was the owner-publisher-editor of the monthly magazine, The Indian Skeptic, which "publishes articles on the scientific investigation of apparently paranormal occurrences with a special emphasis on cases from India".
Described by BBC
as India
's leading guru buster, Basava Premanand has "been honoured by the government with its highest award for the promotion of scientific values among the public."
offered an award of INR 100,000
for anyone who could demonstrate supernatural or miraculous powers under fool-proof and fraud-proof conditions. After the death of Abraham Kovoor in 1978, Basava Premanand continued his challenge by offering INR 100,000 to any person who would demonstrate any psychic, supernatural of paranormal ability of any kind under satisfactory observing conditions. The challenge remains uncontested.
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
History
Premanand was born on 17 February 1930 in KozhikodeKozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. His parents were followers of the Theosophical movement.
In the 1940s, Premanand quit school to take part in Quit India Movement
Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
. With that ended his traditional schooling. His next seven years were spent in newly started Sri-Steila Gurukula, where the Shantiniketan-Wardha brand of education was imparted.
Around 1975 Premanand started publicly denouncing the Indian godman, Sathya Sai Baba
Sathya Sai Baba
Śri Sathya Sai Baba , born as Sathyanarayana Raju was an Indian guru, spiritual figure, mystic, philanthropist, and educator. He claimed to be the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi, a spiritual saint and miracle worker who died in 1918 and whose teachings were an eclectic blend of Hindu and...
, and devoted his life to expose godmen and paranormal
Paranormal
Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
phenomena. Premanand used his skills as an amateur magician
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
to give a natural explanation of the alleged miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
s of gurus and godmen. "Guru Busters", the documentary by the British film maker Robert Eagle
Robert Eagle (writer/director)
Andrew Robert Martin Eagle, known as Robert Eagle , is a British writer, producer and director of documentary and drama for film and television.-Early life:...
, features Premanand displaying and teaching many supposedly supernatural stunts such as levitation, flesh piercing and live burials.
From 1976 his most famous target was Sathya Sai Baba
Sathya Sai Baba
Śri Sathya Sai Baba , born as Sathyanarayana Raju was an Indian guru, spiritual figure, mystic, philanthropist, and educator. He claimed to be the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi, a spiritual saint and miracle worker who died in 1918 and whose teachings were an eclectic blend of Hindu and...
. Premanand was arrested in 1986 by the police for marching, together with 500 volunteers towards Puttaparthi
Puttaparthi
Puttaparthi is a town situated in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It was also the residence of the notable spiritual teacher Sathya Sai Baba....
, the town where the main ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
of the guru is located. In the same year he sued Sathya Sai Baba for violation of the Gold Control Act
Gold Control Act
The Gold Control Act was legislation enacted in India in 1962. After the Indo-China War in 1962, due to loss of foreign exchange reserves, the government of India enacted the Gold Control Act., 1962, prohibiting the citizens from holding pure gold bars and coins. The old holdings in pure gold had...
for Sathya Sai Baba's materialization
Materialization
Materialization is the name of several things:*Materialization — a concept, in parapsychology, is the creation or appearance of matter from unknown sources....
s of gold objects. The case was dismissed, but Premanand appealed on the ground that spiritual power is not a defence recognised in law.
He took active part in Vigyan Yatra (Rally for Science) organised by Maharashtra Lok Vidnyan in 1982 to popularise science and scientific thinking as well as in the Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha held in 1987 espousing the same cause.
He later founded the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations
Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations
Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations is an umbrella body of more than 75 rationalist, atheist, skeptic, secularist and science organisations in India...
, which tours the villages of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to educate people by debunking gurus and fakir
Fakir
The fakir or faqir ; ) Derived from faqr is a Muslim Sufi ascetic in Middle East and South Asia. The Faqirs were wandering Dervishes teaching Islam and living on alms....
s whom he considered fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
s or self deceived. He also was the convener of Indian CSICOP
Indian CSICOP
Indian CSICOP is a well-known rationalist group based at Podanur, Tamil Nadu, India. Founded by Basava Premanand Indian CSICOP is in the forefront of the rationalist campaigns in India which attempt to expose perceived miracles and to eradicate superstitions.Indian CSICOP is an affiliate of the US...
, a Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
based skeptic group which is an affiliate of CSICOP. He was the owner-publisher-editor of the monthly magazine, The Indian Skeptic, which "publishes articles on the scientific investigation of apparently paranormal occurrences with a special emphasis on cases from India".
Described by BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
as India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's leading guru buster, Basava Premanand has "been honoured by the government with its highest award for the promotion of scientific values among the public."
The Challenge of Basava Premanand
In 1963, Abraham KovoorAbraham Kovoor
Abraham Thomas Kovoor was an Indian professor and rationalist who gained prominence after retirement for his campaign to expose as frauds various Indian and Sri Lankan "god-men" and so-called paranormal phenomena...
offered an award of INR 100,000
Abraham Kovoor's challenge
Abraham Kovoor declared, in 1963, an award of Rs. 100, 000/- for anyone who could demonstrate supernatural or miraculous powers under fool-proof and fraud-proof conditions.-The challenge:...
for anyone who could demonstrate supernatural or miraculous powers under fool-proof and fraud-proof conditions. After the death of Abraham Kovoor in 1978, Basava Premanand continued his challenge by offering INR 100,000 to any person who would demonstrate any psychic, supernatural of paranormal ability of any kind under satisfactory observing conditions. The challenge remains uncontested.
In English
- Science versus Miracles
- Lure of Miracles
- Divine Octopus
- The Storm of Godmen, God and Diamond Smuggling
- Satya Sai Greed
- Satya Sai Baba & Gold Control Act
- Satya Sai Baba & Kerala Land Reforms Act
- Investigate Balayogi
- United Front - FIRA 2nd National Conference
- Murders in Sai Baba's Bedroom
- A. T. Kovoor Octogenary Souvenir
In Malayalam
- Saibabayude Kalikal
- Saidasikal Devadasikal
- Pinthirippanmarude Masterplan
See also
- List of prizes for evidence of the paranormal
- Prabir GhoshPrabir GhoshPrabir Ghosh is the head of the Science and Rationalists’ Association of India, and president of the Humanists' Association based in Kolkata. He was once referred to in the media as being from the "Rationalist Association of India"...
, West Bengal rationalist and his $50,000 challenge against Godmen and astrologers - Narendra NayakNarendra NayakNarendra Nayak is a well known rationalist from Mangalore, Karnataka, India.He is the founder of Dakshina Kannada Rationalist Association and has been its Secretary since 1976...