Revision as of 02:35, 15 September 2004 editMANOJTV (talk | contribs)1,353 edits →External links← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 19:53, 25 December 2024 edit undoSkarmory (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Page movers, New page reviewers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers12,902 editsm Skarmory moved page Abraham T. Kovoor to Abraham Kovoor without leaving a redirect: Properly moving article on User:Recaptach's behalf. via a round robin using Move+ | ||
(494 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Sri Lankan rationalist and professor (1898–1978)}} | |||
{| align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="border: 1px solid; margin-left: 1em" | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} | |||
|+ '''Abraham Kovoor''' | |||
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}} | |||
! bgcolor="#efefef" colspan="2" | ] | |||
{{More citations needed|date=December 2007}} | |||
|- | |||
{{Infobox person | |||
! Date of Birth: | |||
| name = Abraham Kovoor | |||
| ], ] | |||
| birth_name = Abraham Thomas Kovoor | |||
|- | |||
| image = Abraham_Kovoor.jpg | |||
! Date of Death: | |||
| image_size = 210px | |||
| ], ] | |||
| caption = Dr. Abraham Thomas Kovoor | |||
|- | |||
| birth_date = {{birth date|1898|4|10|df=y}} | |||
! Place of Birth: | |||
| birth_place = ], ] | |||
| ], ] | |||
| death_date = {{death date and age|1978|9|18|1898|4|10|df=y}} | |||
|- | |||
| death_place = ], ] | |||
! bgcolor="#efefef" colspan="2" | | |||
| occupation = | |||
|} | |||
| spouse = | |||
| family = ] (Father) | |||
}} | |||
'''Abraham Thomas Kovoor''' (10 April 1898 – 18 September 1978) was an Indian professor and ] who gained prominence after retirement for his campaign to expose as ]s various Indian and Sri Lankan ] and so-called ] phenomena. His direct, trenchant criticism of ] frauds and organized religions was enthusiastically received by audiences, initiating a new dynamism in the Rationalist movement, especially in Sri Lanka and India.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://arumugam.tripod.com/kovoor.htm| title=Dr Abraham T. Kovoor: The Rationalist of Indian Subcontinent| publisher=] |date=1998-01-30 | access-date =2021-08-15 }}</ref> | |||
'''Abraham Thomas Kovoor''' (], ] - ], ]) was an eminent rationalist and atheist from the ]. | |||
==Early life and career== | |||
Dr. Kovoor was born at ] in ], ] on 10th April, 1898 in a ] family. His father was Rev. Kovoor Eipe Thomma Katthanar, the Vicar General of the ] of ]. To quote Dr. Kovoor: ''Over three quarters of a century ago I was born in the beautiful land of Kerala in a Syrian Christian family as the son of a Christian priest as the result of a geographical and biological accident, over which I had neither control nor choice.'' | |||
Abraham Kovoor was born into the aristocratic '''Kovoor''' family of ] at ], ]. Kovoor was the son of Rev. ] (Kovoor Achen), Vicar General of the ].<ref name="reporter_live_kovoor_PK">{{Cite news|url=http://www.reporterlive.com/2014/12/25/149554.html|title=പി കെ = ആമിര് ഖാനില് നിന്ന് കോവൂരിലേക്കുള്ള ദൂരം |date=2014-12-25|work=Reporter – Malayalam News Channel – Breaking News, Latest News, Kerala, India, World, Politics, Movies, Entertainment, Sports, Business, Pravasi, Environment|access-date=2018-01-28|language=en-US|archive-date=28 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128132654/http://www.reporterlive.com/2014/12/25/149554.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> After working briefly as a lecturer in botany at C.M.S.College in Kerala, Kovoor arrived in Ceylon in February 1928. Abraham's younger brother, ] was a renowned sociologist and psychologist. Before his arrival in Ceylon, Kovoor married Kunjamma, daughter of a judge. The couple had a son, Aries. Kovoor's first assignment in Ceylon was teaching botany at ], Vaddukoddai for 15 years until 1943. Subsequently, he also taught at ], Galle, and St. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia from 1947 to 1953, before retiring in 1959 as a teacher at ], ]. He also practiced ] and ]. | |||
==As a rationalist== | |||
He completed his basic education at the Syrian Christian Seminary in Kerala and received his higher education at the Bengabasi College, Calcutta, where he specialised in Botany and Zoology. He was awarded a doctorate for his research by the ] of ], for his thesis on psychic and para-psychic phenomena. After completing his education he migrated to ] where he spent the rest of his life. He was the president of the Rationalist Association of ]. | |||
{{Criticism of Christianity sidebar}} | |||
After retirement Kovoor devoted his life to the rationalist movement. He spent most of his time building up the ], and was its president from 1960 to his death. He edited an annual journal, ''The Ceylon Rationalist Ambassador''. Kovoor became a widower when his wife Konjamma died in 1976. In his will, he wrote as follows: "My body should not be buried on my death. The body of my wife also should not be buried. We have dedicated our bodies to the use of medical colleges on our death. I desire that my skeleton should be surrendered to Thurston College, Colombo, which I served for many years. I entrust this task to my son, Aries Kovoor, who is a professor at the Sorbonne University, Paris. My eyes should be donated to an eye bank immediately after death." Kovoor died on 18 September 1978 due to cancer. His skeleton is preserved inside one of the science labs in Thurstan College, Colombo. | |||
==Publications and Kovoor's challenge== | |||
After retiring from his service as a Professor of ] at Thurston College, ], he travelled across the breadth and length of ] and Sri Lanka, challanging and exposing the so-called miracles performed by ] of various hues. | |||
{{main|Abraham Kovoor's challenge}} | |||
He also targetted, to put it in his own words, ''preachers and priests of dubious religions and cults, mystics, saints, arahants, sidhas who claim that they have acquired enlightenment through meditation or penance; gurus, babas, anandas, rishis, swamijis and yogis who claim that they have obtained miraculous powers through yogic practices or as from boons from gods; oracles, exorcists, charmers, soothsayers, fortune-tellers and all types of occultists who claim that they have developed their special powers through spiritual exercises, ], ], ], ], ], ] (]), ], ], ] etc'' | |||
After his numerous encounters with god-men, astrologers, and other people who claimed to have psychic powers, Kovoor concluded that there was no objective truth to such claims. He wrote, "Nobody has and nobody ever had supernatural powers. They exist only in the pages of scriptures and sensation-mongering newspapers." His books ''Begone Godmen'' and ''Gods, Demons and Spirits'', about his encounters with people claiming psychic powers, are still bestsellers in India. | |||
One of the main targets during his miracle exposure campaign was ] of ] in ] state, India. ] is perhaps the most prominent godman in India today as it was during Kovoor's time. This self-proclaimed godman used to produce ( and still does though less frequently) holy-ash with selight of hand and then claim that he produced it miraculously from no-where. There is a tendency among gullible ]n masses to throng to the ashrams of holymen who performs such miracles. To expose this godman and others of his ilk, Dr.Kovoor produced holy ash from nowhere and distributed it amongst the audience. He would explain to the audience later that it was just a sleight of hand and anybody with some rudimentary knowledge of ] could perform it. | |||
In 1963, Kovoor announced an award of Rs. 100,000 for anyone who could demonstrate supernatural or miraculous powers under foolproof and fraud-proof conditions. The challenge listed 23 miracles or feats that godmen (and Western mystics and performers such as ] and ]) claimed to perform, such as reading the serial numbers from currency in sealed envelopes, materializing objects, predicting future events, converting liquids from one kind to another, and walking on water. Some sought publicity by taking on his challenge, but they forfeited the initial deposit amount. The Sri Lankan Rationalist Association, led by Professor ], renewed the challenge in 2012 and increased the reward to one million dollars. (Similar challenges have been posed by ] and ].) | |||
Once he wrote to Sai Baba to have an audience to discuss on his miraculous powers. When there was no response from his side in spite of numerous reminders, Dr. Kovoor decided to meet him in person and communicated this to him. When Dr. Kovoor reached Sathya Sai Baba's head-quarters at ], near ], Sathya Sai Baba escaped to his ] at ], ]. | |||
==Legacy== | |||
After his numerous encouters with godmen, astrologers and other people who claimed to have psychic powers, he came to the conclusion that there was no objective truth behind such claims. He wrote : ''Nobody has and nobody ever had supernatural powers. They exist only in the pages of scriptures and sensation-mongering newspapers''. | |||
The ] movie '']'' (1972), ] movie '']'' (1973) and ] film ''Ninthakatha'' were made on the basis of his case diary. ]'s character in '']'' (2014) is inspired by Kovoor.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aamir Khan's character in PK is inspired from Abraham Kovoor |url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=285086 |website=www.daijiworld.com |access-date=22 December 2014 |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220135707/http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=285086 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bharathiya Yuktivadi Sangam declared a national award called the A. T. Kovoor Award for the Secular Artist. The first recipient was Indian film star ] in acknowledgment of his humanist activities and secular life. | |||
Kovoor's work remains controversial in India. In 2008, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, leader of ], imposed an "immediate ban" on Kovoor's ''God, Demons and Spirits'', translated into Punjabi by Megh Raj Mitter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iheu.org/node/3119 |title=Punjab bans rationalist literature |date=22 March 2008 |publisher=] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315044342/http://www.iheu.org/node/3119 |archive-date=2011-03-15 }}</ref> Popular rationalist ], founder of the ], was heavily influenced by Kovoor.<ref>{{cite book|author=Johannes Quack|title=Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TNbxUwhS5RUC&pg=PA101|year= 2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0199812608|pages=98, 99, 101}}</ref><ref name="Ruhela1997">{{cite book|chapter=Magic Realism |author=Rahul Singh|editor=Satya Pal Ruhela|title=Sri Sathya Sai Baba and the Press, 1972–1996|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U4ldAqBuIpwC&pg=PA40|year=1997|publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd.|isbn=978-8175330412|pages=141–142}} republished article from ''] – The Sunday Review'' of 27 August 1995</ref> | |||
His books '''Begone Godmen''' and '''Gods, Demons and Spirits''' about his encounters with people having so-called ] powers are even today the best-sellers in India. | |||
==Books by and on Kovoor== | |||
Dr.Abraham Kovoor died on September 18, 1978 in Colombo, Sri Lanka at the age of 80. After his death, his eyes were donated to two blind persons in ], ] and his body to a medical college in ]. | |||
===In English=== | |||
# ''Begone Godmen'' – ], Mumbai, India | |||
# ''Gods, Demons and Spirits'' – Jaico Publishing House, Mumbai, India | |||
# ''Selected Works of A T Kovoor'' – Indian Atheist Publishers, New Delhi, India | |||
# ''Exposing Paranormal Claims'' – ], ], ], India | |||
# ''Soul, Spiril, Rebirth & Possession'' – Indian CSICOP, Podannur, Tamil Nadu, India | |||
# ''On Christianity'' – Indian CSICOP, Podannur, Tamil Nadu, India | |||
# ''On Buddhism'' – Indian CSICOP, Podannur, Tamil Nadu, India | |||
# ''Astrology & Hinduism'' – Indian CSICOP, Podannur, Tamil Nadu, India | |||
===In Kannada=== | |||
== The Challenge of Dr. Kovoor == | |||
# ''Kovoor Kanda Vaigynanika Sathyagalu'', (Anuvaada – K. Mayigowda, Sapna Book House Bangalore). | |||
# ''Devaru Devva Vignana'', (Anuvaada Navakarnataka Publications Bangalore). | |||
===In Tamil=== | |||
In the year 1963, Dr. Kovoor declared an award of Rs. 1, 00, 000/- for anyone who could demonstrate supernatural or miraculous powers under fool-proof and fraud-proof conditions. This was his challenge: | |||
# ''Kora Iravukal'', Veerakesari Publications, Colombo | |||
# ''ManakolangkaL'', Veerakesari Publications, Colombo | |||
===In Malayalam=== | |||
I, Abraham T. Kovoor of "Tiruvalla", Pamankada Lane, Colombo-6 do hereby state that l am prepared to pay an award of 1, 00, 000 Srilanka rupees to any one from any part of the world who can demonstrate supernatural or miraculous powers under fool-proof and fraud-proof conditions. This offer will remain open till my death or till I find the first winner. | |||
# ''Kovoorinte Sampoorna Kruthikal'' (Complete Works of Kovoor) – Translated by ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nastiknation.org/product/kovoorinte-sampoorna-krithikal/ |title = കോവൂരിന്റെ സമ്പൂർണ കൃതികൾ – Nastik Nation}}</ref> | |||
# ''Kovoorinte Thiranjetutha Kruthikal'' (Selected Works of Kovoor) – Translated by Joseph Edamaruku. Prabhat Book House, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. | |||
# ''Samsarikkunna Kuthira'' (The Talking Horse) – Translated by Joseph Edamaruku. Current Books, Thrissur, Kerala, India. | |||
# ''Yukthivadam'' (Rationalism) – Translated by Joseph Edamaruku. Current Books, Thrissur, Kerala, India. | |||
# ''Anamarutha'' – Translated by Joseph Edamaruku. D C Books, Kottayam, Kerala, India. | |||
# ''Indriyatheetha Jnanavum Parapsychologiyum'' – Translated by Joseph Edamaruku. Indian Atheist Publishers, New Delhi, India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.therali.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=75|title=Therali – Malayalam Books |date=30 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030182028/http://www.therali.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=75 |archive-date=30 October 2007 }}</ref> | |||
# ''Yukthichintha'' (Rational Thought) – Translated by ]. Current Books, Kottayam, Kerala, India.<ref>{{cite web |title=Malayalam Books Online |url=http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/book-detail.cgi?code=157 |website=www.puzha.com |access-date=3 December 2005 |archive-date=18 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518181729/http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/book-detail.cgi?code=157 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
===In Hindi=== | |||
Godman, Saints, Yogis and Sidhas who claim that they acquired miraculous powers through spiritual exercises and divine boons win this award if they can perform any of the following "miracles" | |||
# ''Aur Dev Purush Har Gaye'' – Tarakbharti Parkashan, Barnala, Punjab, India | |||
# {{transl|hi|Dev, daanav aur Ruhain}} – Tarakbharti Parkashan | |||
===In Punjabi=== | |||
# Read the serial number of a sealed up currency note. | |||
# ''Tey Dev Pursh Har Gaye'' – Tarakbharti Parkashan, Barnala, Punjab | |||
# Produce an exact replica of a currency note. | |||
# ''Pret Atma Puner Janam Te Kasran'' – Tarakbharti Parkashan | |||
# Stand stationary on burning cinders for half a minute without blistering the feet. | |||
# ''Kramatan Da Pardan Phash'' – Tarakbharti Parkashan | |||
# Materialise from nothing an object I ask. | |||
# ''Dev, Daint te Ruhan'' – Tarakbharti Parkashan | |||
# Move or bend a solid object using psychokinetic power. | |||
# Read the thought of another person using telepathic powers. | |||
# Make an amputated limb grow even one inch by prayer, spiritual or faith healing powers, Lourdes water, holy ash, blessing etc. | |||
# Levitate in the air by yogic power. | |||
# Stop the heart-beat for five minutes by yogi power. | |||
# Stop breathing for thirty minutes by yogi power. | |||
# Walk on water. | |||
# Leave the body in one place and reappear in another place. | |||
# Predict a future event. | |||
# Develop creative intelligence or get enlightened through transcendental or yogic meditation. | |||
# Speak or understand an unknown language as a result of rebirth or by being possessed by a spirit. holy or evil. | |||
# Produce a spirit or ghost to be photographed. | |||
# Disappear from the negative when photographed. | |||
# Get out of a locked room by, spiritual power. | |||
# Increase the quantity by weight of a substance by divine power. | |||
# Detect a hidden object. | |||
# Convert water into petrol or wine. | |||
# Convert wine into blood. | |||
# Astrologers and palmists, who hoodwink the gullible by saying that astrology and palmistry are perfectly "Scientific", can win my award if they can pick out correctly - within a margin of five percent error - those of males, females, and living and the dead from a set of ten palm prints or astrological charts giving the exact time of birth correct to the minute, and places of birth with their latitudes and longitudes. | |||
===In Sinhala=== | |||
I invite miracle performers like Satya Sai Baba, Pandrimalai Swamigal, Neelakanta Tathaji, Nirmala Devi Srivastava, Pujya Dadaji, Dattabal, Triprayar Yogini. Gtirudev Anandamurthi, Kamubhai, Chinmayanand, Acharya Rajneesh, Muktanand, Swami Rama, Swami Haridas, Sivabalayogi, Bhagavan Gnanananda, Gurumaharaj-ji, Maharshi Mahesh Yogi, Hazarath Ali, Dr. Vadlaimudi, C. S. Teerthangar, R.P.Tiwari, Uri Geller, Ne1iya Michailova, Jeane Dixon, Sybil Leek and the numerous "professors" of astrology and palmistry, in India and numerous other gurus, swamijis, mahatrnas, acharyas, andas, babas and bhagavans who have found fresh pastures and wealthier gullibles in Western Countries, to take up my challenge and prove to skeptics like me that they are not hoaxers. | |||
# ''Deviyo Saha Bhoothayo'' – A Translation by Dharmapala Senarante | |||
# ''Ma Kala Gaveshana'' – A Translation by Dharmapala Senarante | |||
===In Bengali=== | |||
Dr. Kovoor died in the year 1978. Unitl his death none could claim the award amount. Some fraudsters who sought publicity by taking on his challenge had to forefeit the initial deposit amount. | |||
# ''Bhut Bhagaban Shaitan bonam Dr. Kovoor'' – Bhabani Prasad Shahoo | |||
==References== | |||
===The Challenge Today=== | |||
<!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref(erences/)> tags--> | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
<!-- Reference in Sinhala: http://www.rivira.lk/2010/09/26/rivinetha2.htm --> | |||
<!-- Dr Abraham T. Kovoor: The Rationalist of Indian Subcontinent" Dr Prakash Arumugam' page. Retrieved 15 August 2021.: https://arumugam.tripod.com/kovoor.htm --> | |||
==Further reading== | |||
After the death of Dr. Kovoor, ] continued his challenge by offering Rs.100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Indian Rupees) to any person who will demonstrate any psychic, supernatural of paranormal ability of any kind under satisfactory observing conditions. | |||
* Edamaruku: Dr Kovoor: Crusader against religious frauds. ''Caravan'', December 1978, pp. 31–34. | |||
* {{cite book|author=Johannes Quack|title=Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TNbxUwhS5RUC&pg=PA96|year=2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0199812608|pages=96–97}} | |||
==External links== | |||
A similar challenge, ''One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge'', from ] of ] also is in force offering ''a one-million-dollar prize to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event''. | |||
* | |||
* : Dr Prakash Arumugam | |||
* : Essay by Abraham Kovoor – Dr Prakash Arumugam | |||
* : The Sunday Observer Sri Lanka 30.07.2006 –Essay by Dr Prakash Arumugam | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* {{YouTube|fzjLvTnNHtg|James Randi paying respect to Dr. Kovoor}} | |||
{{Sathya Sai Baba}} | |||
== External links == | |||
* | |||
{{Authority control}} | |||
* | |||
* | |||
* | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kovoor, A. T.}} | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] |
Latest revision as of 19:53, 25 December 2024
Sri Lankan rationalist and professor (1898–1978)
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Abraham Kovoor" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2007) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Abraham Kovoor | |
---|---|
Dr. Abraham Thomas Kovoor | |
Born | Abraham Thomas Kovoor (1898-04-10)10 April 1898 Thiruvalla, Kingdom of Travancore |
Died | 18 September 1978(1978-09-18) (aged 80) Colombo, Sri Lanka |
Family | Iype Thoma Kathanar (Father) |
Abraham Thomas Kovoor (10 April 1898 – 18 September 1978) 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. His direct, trenchant criticism of spiritual frauds and organized religions was enthusiastically received by audiences, initiating a new dynamism in the Rationalist movement, especially in Sri Lanka and India.
Early life and career
Abraham Kovoor was born into the aristocratic Kovoor family of Syrian Christians at Thiruvalla, Kerala. Kovoor was the son of Rev. Iype Thoma Kathanar (Kovoor Achen), Vicar General of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar. After working briefly as a lecturer in botany at C.M.S.College in Kerala, Kovoor arrived in Ceylon in February 1928. Abraham's younger brother, Behanan was a renowned sociologist and psychologist. Before his arrival in Ceylon, Kovoor married Kunjamma, daughter of a judge. The couple had a son, Aries. Kovoor's first assignment in Ceylon was teaching botany at Jaffna College, Vaddukoddai for 15 years until 1943. Subsequently, he also taught at Richmond College, Galle, and St. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia from 1947 to 1953, before retiring in 1959 as a teacher at Thurstan College, Colombo. He also practiced hypnotherapy and applied psychology.
As a rationalist
This article is of a series on |
Criticism of religion |
---|
By religion |
By religious figure |
By text |
Religious violence |
Bibliographies |
Related topics |
After retirement Kovoor devoted his life to the rationalist movement. He spent most of his time building up the Ceylon Rationalist Association, and was its president from 1960 to his death. He edited an annual journal, The Ceylon Rationalist Ambassador. Kovoor became a widower when his wife Konjamma died in 1976. In his will, he wrote as follows: "My body should not be buried on my death. The body of my wife also should not be buried. We have dedicated our bodies to the use of medical colleges on our death. I desire that my skeleton should be surrendered to Thurston College, Colombo, which I served for many years. I entrust this task to my son, Aries Kovoor, who is a professor at the Sorbonne University, Paris. My eyes should be donated to an eye bank immediately after death." Kovoor died on 18 September 1978 due to cancer. His skeleton is preserved inside one of the science labs in Thurstan College, Colombo.
Publications and Kovoor's challenge
Main article: Abraham Kovoor's challengeAfter his numerous encounters with god-men, astrologers, and other people who claimed to have psychic powers, Kovoor concluded that there was no objective truth to such claims. He wrote, "Nobody has and nobody ever had supernatural powers. They exist only in the pages of scriptures and sensation-mongering newspapers." His books Begone Godmen and Gods, Demons and Spirits, about his encounters with people claiming psychic powers, are still bestsellers in India.
In 1963, Kovoor announced an award of Rs. 100,000 for anyone who could demonstrate supernatural or miraculous powers under foolproof and fraud-proof conditions. The challenge listed 23 miracles or feats that godmen (and Western mystics and performers such as Uri Geller and Jeane Dixon) claimed to perform, such as reading the serial numbers from currency in sealed envelopes, materializing objects, predicting future events, converting liquids from one kind to another, and walking on water. Some sought publicity by taking on his challenge, but they forfeited the initial deposit amount. The Sri Lankan Rationalist Association, led by Professor Carlo Fonseka, renewed the challenge in 2012 and increased the reward to one million dollars. (Similar challenges have been posed by Basava Premanand and James Randi.)
Legacy
The Malayalam movie Punarjanmam (1972), Tamil movie Maru Piravi (1973) and Telugu film Ninthakatha were made on the basis of his case diary. Aamir Khan's character in PK (2014) is inspired by Kovoor. Bharathiya Yuktivadi Sangam declared a national award called the A. T. Kovoor Award for the Secular Artist. The first recipient was Indian film star Kamal Haasan in acknowledgment of his humanist activities and secular life.
Kovoor's work remains controversial in India. In 2008, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, leader of Shiromani Akali Dal, imposed an "immediate ban" on Kovoor's God, Demons and Spirits, translated into Punjabi by Megh Raj Mitter. Popular rationalist Basava Premanand, founder of the Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations, was heavily influenced by Kovoor.
Books by and on Kovoor
In English
- Begone Godmen – Jaico Publishing House, Mumbai, India
- Gods, Demons and Spirits – Jaico Publishing House, Mumbai, India
- Selected Works of A T Kovoor – Indian Atheist Publishers, New Delhi, India
- Exposing Paranormal Claims – Indian CSICOP, Podannur, Tamil Nadu, India
- Soul, Spiril, Rebirth & Possession – Indian CSICOP, Podannur, Tamil Nadu, India
- On Christianity – Indian CSICOP, Podannur, Tamil Nadu, India
- On Buddhism – Indian CSICOP, Podannur, Tamil Nadu, India
- Astrology & Hinduism – Indian CSICOP, Podannur, Tamil Nadu, India
In Kannada
- Kovoor Kanda Vaigynanika Sathyagalu, (Anuvaada – K. Mayigowda, Sapna Book House Bangalore).
- Devaru Devva Vignana, (Anuvaada Navakarnataka Publications Bangalore).
In Tamil
- Kora Iravukal, Veerakesari Publications, Colombo
- ManakolangkaL, Veerakesari Publications, Colombo
In Malayalam
- Kovoorinte Sampoorna Kruthikal (Complete Works of Kovoor) – Translated by Joseph Edamaruku.
- Kovoorinte Thiranjetutha Kruthikal (Selected Works of Kovoor) – Translated by Joseph Edamaruku. Prabhat Book House, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
- Samsarikkunna Kuthira (The Talking Horse) – Translated by Joseph Edamaruku. Current Books, Thrissur, Kerala, India.
- Yukthivadam (Rationalism) – Translated by Joseph Edamaruku. Current Books, Thrissur, Kerala, India.
- Anamarutha – Translated by Joseph Edamaruku. D C Books, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
- Indriyatheetha Jnanavum Parapsychologiyum – Translated by Joseph Edamaruku. Indian Atheist Publishers, New Delhi, India.
- Yukthichintha (Rational Thought) – Translated by Johnson Eyeroor. Current Books, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
In Hindi
- Aur Dev Purush Har Gaye – Tarakbharti Parkashan, Barnala, Punjab, India
- Dev, daanav aur Ruhain – Tarakbharti Parkashan
In Punjabi
- Tey Dev Pursh Har Gaye – Tarakbharti Parkashan, Barnala, Punjab
- Pret Atma Puner Janam Te Kasran – Tarakbharti Parkashan
- Kramatan Da Pardan Phash – Tarakbharti Parkashan
- Dev, Daint te Ruhan – Tarakbharti Parkashan
In Sinhala
- Deviyo Saha Bhoothayo – A Translation by Dharmapala Senarante
- Ma Kala Gaveshana – A Translation by Dharmapala Senarante
In Bengali
- Bhut Bhagaban Shaitan bonam Dr. Kovoor – Bhabani Prasad Shahoo
References
- "Dr Abraham T. Kovoor: The Rationalist of Indian Subcontinent". Dr Prakash Arumugam. 30 January 1998. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- "പി കെ = ആമിര് ഖാനില് നിന്ന് കോവൂരിലേക്കുള്ള ദൂരം". Reporter – Malayalam News Channel – Breaking News, Latest News, Kerala, India, World, Politics, Movies, Entertainment, Sports, Business, Pravasi, Environment. 25 December 2014. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- "Aamir Khan's character in PK is inspired from Abraham Kovoor". www.daijiworld.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
- "Punjab bans rationalist literature". International Humanist and Ethical Union. 22 March 2008. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011.
- Johannes Quack (2011). Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India. Oxford University Press. pp. 98, 99, 101. ISBN 978-0199812608.
- Rahul Singh (1997). "Magic Realism". In Satya Pal Ruhela (ed.). Sri Sathya Sai Baba and the Press, 1972–1996. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. pp. 141–142. ISBN 978-8175330412. republished article from The Times of India – The Sunday Review of 27 August 1995
- "കോവൂരിന്റെ സമ്പൂർണ കൃതികൾ – Nastik Nation".
- "Therali – Malayalam Books". 30 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2007.
- "Malayalam Books Online". www.puzha.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2005.
Further reading
- Edamaruku: Dr Kovoor: Crusader against religious frauds. Caravan, December 1978, pp. 31–34.
- Johannes Quack (2011). Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India. Oxford University Press. pp. 96–97. ISBN 978-0199812608.
External links
- Selected Writings of Abraham Kovoor
- The Rationalist of the Indian Subcontinent: Dr Prakash Arumugam
- The Miracle of the Ganga Water: Essay by Abraham Kovoor – Dr Prakash Arumugam
- Lanka's Kovoor – theory: The Sunday Observer Sri Lanka 30.07.2006 –Essay by Dr Prakash Arumugam
- Dr. Bhagavantham and Sai Baba
- Challenge of James Randi
- "Kovoor" in Rationalism, Humanism and Atheism in Twentieth Century Indian Thought
- James Randi paying respect to Dr. Kovoor on YouTube
Sathya Sai Baba | |
---|---|
Devotees | |
Related articles | |
Institutions |
- Indian rationalists
- Indian atheism activists
- Critics of Sathya Sai Baba
- Indian sceptics
- Indian former Christians
- Indian religious sceptics
- Indian materialists
- People from Thiruvalla
- 1898 births
- 1978 deaths
- Malayali people
- Indian emigrants to Sri Lanka
- Alumni of Thurstan College
- Sri Lankan sceptics
- 20th-century Indian philosophers
- 20th-century Sri Lankan people
- 20th-century Indian non-fiction writers
- Indian male writers
- Writers from Kerala
- People from Colombo
- Deshamanya
- Indian spiritual writers
- Writers about religion and science