Science versus Miracles: Planchette / Ouija Board

B. Premanand


Effect: Working of the planchette board.

Four persons, one among them is the spirit medium, touch the planchette (ouija board) lightly on four sides and concentrate on the spirit to come and give an answer to the question. Suddenly the planchette starts moving and it gives an answer.

Planchette / Ouja Board

Props: Planchette

Method: While concentrating, the medium assists the volunteers to concentrate and the more intensely the thought-process is directed towards a specific idea or physical part, the involuntary muscular movements make the planchette move and give you the answer to your problem.

Explanation: Whatever action we perform is controlled by the brain. If we have any thought or idea in the subconscious mind, when we concentrate on the same, it manifests as a physical activity without any conscious attempt by the person. This is called idiomotor response. The minute electrical charges in the brain transmit to the muscles through the nerves.

The persons who create motivating force through idiomotor response do not have any idea that they are the cause. It is these involuntary muscle movements, which cause the water divining stick to revolve and the planchette to work.

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Science versus Miracles: Water Divining with a Y-shaped Twig

B. Premanand

When the water-diviner feels the currents psychically, the Y-shaped twig starts moving. The persons who create motivating force through idiomotor response do not have any idea that they are the cause. It is these involuntary muscle movements, which cause the water divining stick to revolve and the planchet to work.

Effect: Water divining by a Y-shaped branch of a tree.

Props: Y-shaped branch of a tree.

Method: With little unconscious pressure on the two branches of the Y shaped twig, which is held in two hands, it revolves by itself. The diviner first knows about the underground water spring by looking at the big trees and ant hills and in the guise of psychic power gives a little pressure on the two branches of the Y stick which makes it turn in his hand.

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Science versus Miracles: Ideomotor Response and Pendulum Dowsing

B. Premanand

Whatever action we perform is controlled by the brain. If we have any thought or idea in the subconscious mind, when we concentrate on the same, it manifests as a physical activity without any conscious attempt by the person. This is called idiomotor response. The minute electrical charges in the brain transmit to the muscles through the nerves.

The persons who create motivating force through idiomotor response do not have any idea that they are the cause. It is these involuntary muscle movements, which cause the water divining stick to revolve and the planchet to work.

The following experiment will prove the effect of idiomotor response.

Experiment: 145

Effect: The pendulum moves in circle or a straight line when you concen­trate on a circle or a straight line.

Props: A pendulum suspended on a thread, a chair, and a table.

Method: Draw a circle of 6" diameter on a sheet of paper and through the centre of the circle draw a straight line. Sit on a chair holding the top end of the thread to which the pendulum is suspended resting your elbow on the table. If you hold the pendulum on the centre of the circle and let your eyes follow the straight line, gradually the pendulum will swing straight along the line.

If you let your eyes follow the circle clockwise and concentrate, the pendulum will start moving in a circle, clockwise. Then when again you follow the circle anti-clockwise the pendulum will start moving anti-clockwise in a circle.

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Science versus Miracles: Curing Jaundice by Psychic Power

B. Premanand

The jaundice patient goes to the tantrik or godman for a cure. After an incantation over the medicine, the patient is administered the medicine. He asks the patient to gargle for a few minutes and then spit it out. When he spits out a yellow liquid, which looks like a bile, the tantrik says he has been cured.

Experiment: 143

Effect: Curing jaundice by psychic power.

Props: Mustard Oil.

Method: If you pour some mustard oil in your mouth and gargle for a few minutes and spit it out, it looks like brownish yellow liquid. This is because the oil gets emulsified with the saliva.

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Science versus Miracles: Shakuntala Devi, the Human Computer.

B. Premanand

Shakuntala Devi (Image courtesy: Wikipedia)

Sakuntala Devi claimed to be a human computer. In a television interview where she demonstrated her feats, a simple mathematical problem was asked by a professor which she brushed aside as very simple and agreed to give the answer at the end. But she did not give the answer. This was because there was no formula to give the answer without actually making the calculations. There are lots of formulas by which one can instantly give the answer to a mathematical problem by looking at the question and without calculation. People believed that Sakuntala Devi had the mental power to calculate everything by mind instantly.

Note: Though Premanand has given a few examples, we do not reproduce them here. We, however, give a link to Wikipedia page on Mental Calculation, where one can read about a number of such arithmetical calculations.

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Science versus Miracles: Psychic Surgery

B. Premanand

In the Philippines, psychic surgeons conduct surgery without any instruments and claim to cure patients. One such psychic surgeon came to India in the 1980s and the first surgery was conducted on a minister of Maharashtra State. The surgeon thus acquired much publicity in the news media. When he was confronted by skeptics, he had to leave India. Later, it was known that he fell sick and instead of going to another psychic surgeon, he got admitted into hospital for surgery.  Many psychic surgeons and doctors have appeared in India due to television programmes on Yoga for health and on holistic cures. Satya Sai Baba has also conducted psychic surgery on the son of Dr. Bhagwantam, and others, but they dies of the same disease.

Psychic Surgey (Image Courtesy: http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Psychic_surgery)

Experiment: 142

Effect: Psychic Surgery

Props: Blood in a plastic bag or thumb tip, part of an animal intestine, surgical cotton, and a table.

Method: Call a volunteer and ask him to remove his shirt and vest and lie on the table. Ask him to close his eyes and go to sleep. Have some blood hidden in the thumb-tip or plastic bag in your right hand. Press the stomach and put your fingers into the skin folds. Turn them inwards to the last joints of your fingers. The audience will think your fingers have pierced the stocmach and gone right in. When the fingers are bent back, release the blood. With the left hand take a piece of cotton with the animal part inside. Push the cotton onto the folds of the stomach and act as if you are curing the part and taking it out. With fresh cotton clean the stomach of blood and show to the audience that the skin has healed itself psychically, and the person has been cured with the diseased portion removed.

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Science versus Miracles: Godess Drinking Blood

B. Premanand

When there is any sickness or accident etc. in the house, the tantrik is called to pacify the anger of goddess Kali. First, he conducts havan burning firewood and ghee. He then pours blood in a plate, keeps a lit lamp over it and covers the lamp with a vessel. He goes around the lota praying to the goddess to drink the blood and bless the family. When he completes three rounds the blood in the plate disappears. The household is satisfied. After collecting his fees, he puts the plate and the vessel in his bag and walks away.

Experiment: 140

Effect: Goddess drinks blood.

Props: One plate, potassium permanganate, water, a lamp with wick and oil, one vessel.

Method: Pour water in the plate over a little bit of potassium permanganate, which would look like blood. Keep a lamp in the centre of the plate and light it. Cover the lamp with the vessel. Thus the vessel is sealed with the water in the plate. When the oxygen in the vessel bums up, the lamp gets extinguished. The carbon dioxide in the vessel mixes with water creates a vacuum and the red water is sucked into the vessel. 

Experiment: 141

Effect: A person dies when a doll's head is twisted.

The sorcerer twists the head of a doll naming a person and he dies instantly.

Though Premand has written how this feat can be accomplished, we don't want to provide the details here.

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Science versus Miracle: Licking a red-hot poker

B. Premanand

The oracle licks a red-hot poker or iron rod until it is cold. While talking to the District Education Officers in Delhi, one of them from Gharwal district told me he had seen an oracle, possessed by the deity, licking a red-hot poker until it was cold. He wondered how a person could lick red-hot iron unless he had supernatural powers.

Experiment: 139

Effect: Licking a red-hot poker.

Props:  Liquid storax and red-hot poker.

Method: Anoint your tongue and lips with liquid storax. This makes the tongue immune to heat. Lick until it is cold. Later, wash your mouth thoroughly to prevent any effect from the balsam.

The following paragraph is from the book Fire Magic written by Clettis V. Musson:

In  this effect, a poker or rod of iron is heated until red hot. The fire eater licks the red hott metal with his tongue until it is cold.

The tongue must be anointed with liquid storax, a chemical purchasable at drug stores. This makes the tongue immune to heat. The lips may be anointed also, so that even a careless handling of the poker will not affect them.  After each performance, mouth and lips must be cleansed thoroughly of the chemical to prevent any after effects.  This method of rendering yourself immune to heat may also be used in placing any other hot objects in the mouth such as burning wood dipped in brimstone powder, molten metal, lighted matches, etc.

 

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Science versus Miracles: Sleeping on Thorns and Amulets that produce 'Holy Ash'

B. Premanand

You can see mendicants sleeping on thorns to prove that they are above body pain.

Experiment: 137

Effect: Sleeping on thorns

Props: Thorny plants

Method: Make a fire, take the thorn bushes above the fire and with a thick sack press the thorns to the top. Make a bed of thorns keeping the thorn points up. You can slowly lied down on the thorn bed without getting yourself hurt.

Experiment: 138

Effect: The tankrik gives devotees a miracle amulet, which becomes hot and produces holy ash.

The tantrik displays a few silver charms or amulets and explains their property and the strange power they emit. These charms, he says, can work wonders for those who wear them. They will guard them and save them from al adverse situations.

He then wraps the charm in silver foil and hands them to the customer. He is asked to pray and concentrate on this problem, holding it in his closed fist. Within a short time the charm becomes hot and when the silver foil is removed he finds some vibhuti.

Props:  Copper amulet, emery paper, Mercurous Nitrate solution and aluminium foil.

Method: Clean the copper amulet with emery paper and dip it in Mercurous Nitrate solution.  Polish it with a soft cloth and it will look like a silver amulet.  When it is tightly wrapped in aluminium foil, a chemical reaction takes place and heat is generated. A gray powder is formed which looks like vibhuti.

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Science versus Miracles: Leaping on Broken Glass.

B Premanand

The Hata Yogi leaps barefoot from a table onto broken glass. 

Experiment: 136

Effect: Leaping on broken glass.

Props: 50 to 100 kg of the bottom of soda water bottles or beer bottles. Roll them in a big sack to grind down the sharp edges and make the pieces smooth. A table.

Method: The more glass there is, the safer it is to jump, because the force is absorbed by the heap of glass which is spread out to cushion your weight. First practise with shoes, then with socks, and finally barefooted.

 *** *** ***

While uploading the present writing of the late B Premanand, we stumbled upon an interesting and detailed exposition on the same topic at www.howstuffworks.com. We reproduce the article below. The original article is here

How can someone walk across broken glass without getting hurt?

by Tracy V. Wilson

A magician or street performer walking barefooted across broken glass is a dramatic spectacle. If you have a close-up view, you can see the person's feet pressing against the jagged edges. Sometimes, you can even hear glass breaking underfoot. It's clearly dangerous, and some performers claim that it requires the utmost concentration or even mystical intervention.

It's possible to fake a glass walk or to boost your chances of completing it without injury. Breakaway glass, also known as sugar or candy glass, is an easy-to-shatter substitute for real glass. When you see an actor break a bottle over someone's head, the bottle is usually made from candy glass. Broken edges can still be sharp, but the pieces aren't usually strong enough to pierce the sole of the foot. However, some types of candy glass can become sticky or powdery during the walk, ruining the illusion.

You can also protect your feet instead of using fake glass. One option is to use an adhesive like spirit gum to hold a flexible sole to the bottom of your foot. Another is to use over-the-counter skin-toughening products to make your feet a little sturdier and less sensitive.

However, none of this is really necessary for an experienced performer. Although it's possible to be badly cut, there are physical factors that make it possible to walk on broken glass unharmed:

• Many glass walkers use broken wine or champagne bottles. Unlike broken bottle necks or drinking glasses, these pieces have a relatively gentle curve. You're not very likely to find a piece of glass with multiple sharp edges sticking straight up.
• The bed of glass is usually thick. When you step down, the pieces shift against each other, moving the edges away from your foot. Some people use a slightly padded surface under the glass, adding a little extra give.
• Glass walkers typically take slow steps, repositioning their feet if they feel very sharp points. This gives the glass lots of time to settle and adds an extra measure of protection against punctures.
• Tiny pieces of glass that are likely to embed themselves into the skin naturally sift to the bottom of the pile.­

­­­If you've ever stepped on a single piece of broken glass and hurt yourself, this might not sound like much protection. But the surface involved in a glass walk is not like your kitchen floor. In a glass walk, the weight of your body is spread out over lots of pieces, which have the freedom to move. When you step on a single sliver of glass, your weight is concentrated over that one sharp point. In addition, if you accidentally cut yourself on a piece of glass, the culprit is usually the movement of your skin along the sharp edge. Walking on glass, on the other hand, requires you to put your feet straight down onto the edges, not to slide them around on the surface.

Even though glass walking is possible, it's still a dangerous activity. Don't try it at home.

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Science versus Miracles: Curing Blister through Yogic Power

A Yogi claims to have overcome pain through meditation. He takes a lit cigarette and bums his fingertip and shows the blister. He is smiling and in meditation. After a short time the blister vanishes.

Experiment: 135

Effect: Overcoming Pain while burning your finger.

Props: A car key and a lighted cigarette.

Method: With your right hand in your pocket, press the ring hole of the key with the thumb and the index finger. Ask for a lighted cigarette, take the cigarette in your left hand, take out your right band from the pocket and touch the index finger end with the cigarette depositing some ash on the hole mark and show it to the audience. It will look a real blister. Meditate for a few minutes until the mark disappears and show that by your psychic power you have cured the blister.

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Science versus Miracles: Reading a message in a sealed cover

B Premanand

Experiment: 133

Effect: Telling the number a person thinks.

The tantrik asks a person to tell a number. When ash is rubbed on the surface of a blank card the number appears.

Props: Soap, ash, blank card.

Method: Write the numbers 1 to 9 on the board with soap. Ask a person to tell a number from 1 to 9 and rub ash on the part that number is written.

Experiment: 134

Effect: Reading a message in a sealed cover.

The psychic gives a card to his client, asks him to write his problem clearly, put it in an envelope and seal it. Then he takes his hand over the envelope, concentrates and tells what is written on the card

Props: White card of the size of the envelope, envelope thick enough so that what is written on the card is not visible. Cotton and Ether.

Method: As soon as the sealed envelope is placed on the table, palm the cotton saturated with Ether and as if you are taking your palm on the cover, rub on the envelope and slowly read out the problem or message. Ether will evaporate immediately without leaving any trace. Then open the cover and read out what is written on the card.

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Science versus Miracles: Tantriks and their Tricks

B. Premanand


When the tantrik spits on sawdust, it bursts into flame.

Experiment: 131

Effect: When the tantrik spits on sawdust, it bursts into flame.

Props: A metal-bowl, well dried sawdust, sodium peroxide (powdered), water.

Method: Keep in metal bowl dry sawdust mixed with equal parts of powdered sodium peroxide. Ask some one to bring a glass of water, drink some water and spit a small quantity over the sawdust. It will burst into flame.

Experiment: 132

Effect: The oracle gets possessed and blows out sparks and flames from his mouth.

Props:  Jute thread, Potassium nitrate solution, cotton.

Method: Dip the jute thread in potassium nitrate solution four times, drying it each time. Light one end and make it into a ball with cotton wrapped around and place it in your mouth while acting as if to wipe your mouth. Breathe out in steady stream and sparks and flames will shoot out of your mouth. While keeping the ball in your mouth let there be enough saliva in your mouth. When it gets a little hot, remove it under cover of your handkerchief.  While the ball is in the mouth do not inhale.

Note: The image appearing along with this article is only for representative purpose. The spitting of fire shown here might not have been made as per the method explained in the article.

 The tricks/stunts are explained here for debunking the so-called miracles. They should be performed only under expert guidance and should not be performed on one’s own. The author or the web administrator will not be responsible for any adverse consequences if so performed without expert guidance.

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Science versus Miracles: Holding Hot Electric Soldering Iron on the Hand.

B Premanand

 
The psychic places the hot electric soldering iron across his hand without getting burnt. 

Experiment: 130

Effect: Hot electric soldering iron on the hand.

Props: Electric soldering iron, petroleum jelly.

Method: Smear petroleum jelly on your hand. Take the soldering Iron and lightly place it on your hand over the jelly. It will produce a hissing sound. Then show your hand unaffected by the hot iron.

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Science versus Miracles: Cutting the Body with a Knife.

B Premanand

 

This 'miracle' is performed both by Muslims and Hindu oracles. They cut their body with a knife. Blood flows from the gashes. Later, the body is wiped with a towel and water and the cuts are healed.

Experiment: 128

Effect: Cutting the body with a knife.

Props: Ferric Chloride, Sodium Sulphocyanide, a knife.

Method: Apply the solution of Ferric Chloride on the body or hand where you are cutting. Dip the knife in the solution of Sodium Sulphocyanide and act as if you are cutting with the knife. Crimson streaks will appear where the knife has touched. After the act, wipe the part clean with a wet towel.

Experiment: 129

Effect: Another way of cutting the body with a knife

Props:  Ferric Ammonium Sulfate, Sodium Salicylate and a knife.

Method: Apply ferric Ammonium Sulfate solution on the body or hand. Dip the knife in the solution of Sodium Salicylate and act as if you are cutting. Red marks will be found on the body and hand where you are cutting. Later clean the part with a wet cloth, all the marks are gone

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Science versus Miracles: Catching a Thief by Sorcery

B Premanand

When a theft has occurred, the tantrik is called. He starts a havan by preparing a homa kunda with mud and firewood and lights the fire, chanting mantras for some time. After the prayer, he fixes a four-foot long stick in the ground and asks the assembled people go into the room one by one, touch the stick at the top and pray. The thief is easily caught. He warns the people that the thief will suffer dire consequence if after touching the stick he tells a lie that he has not stolen.

Experiment: 127

Effect: Catching the thief by sorcery

Propos: Bricks to make the homa kunda, mud to fill it, wood scrapings, matchbox, ghee, flowers and 4’ long stick, asafetida.

Method: Apply Asafetida Oil on the top of the stick and stand it vertically in the mud. Those who are innocent will touch the top of the stick while the thief will no touch it out of fear of dire consequences. After each person comes out, the tantrik raises their hand and chants some mantras. Their fingers will smell of asafetida. The person whose finger does not smell is caught and the stolen materials recovered.

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“I Would Be Happy To See a Real Miracle Before I Die”:

Basava Premanand

We are now moving to the end of the first volume of the series under "Science Versus Miracles". All the experiments explained here are found in books on Magic and in scientific literature. Using these methods. unscrupulous godmen and psychics have been exploiting the gullible. Even scientists like Dr. Bhagavantam. P. K. Banerjee. Venu Mukunda, Sudarshan etc., have fallen a prey to their exploitation.

Unless the government changes its education policy the country has no future. Now education is in the hands of the unscrupulous who propagate miracles, superstitions, and blind beliefs. Science is only the knowledge of nature and Universe. Unless our people are educated in Scientific Temper we have no hope. The gullible will go after miracle men for an ear solution to their mundane problems. However much we expose the godmen, the credulous will go to the next one who has yet to be exposed.

Even those who are exposed appear again when people forget the exposure and the new generation comes up. For instance, Ganapathi Satchitananda Swami of Mysore, Amritananda Mayi of Kerala, and the Sweet Baba of Satara are raising their heads and are becoming powerful. Ganapathi Satchitananda Swami was exposed by the Narasimhaiah Committee in 1970's. He himself confessed that he has no miraculous powers. Amritananda Mayi went underground in 1983 when the police confronted about 26 women who claimed to be possessed by gods and goddesses.

The Sweet Baba of Satara was exposed in 1981 `while I was in Maharashtra conducting Vijnan Jatha. He was created by some scientists who wanted to start a parapsychology department in Pune University. The scientist behind this was a colleague of Dr. Rhine of the parapsycholoy department in Duke University in the United States. Recently Sweet Baba was in the news. A UNI reporter alleges that he had investigated the Sweet Baba. made him wash his hands and when he touched something it tasted sweet. The reporter does not know the method of magicians. With a little of saccharin on his cloth after his hands are washed, and he touches the cloth stealthily he can make hundreds of people taste sweetness wherever he touches.

We have vet good laws to protect the people from being exploited by these frauds. The section 420 of the CPC is for cheating. The Medical Council Act says that none can practise medicine unless he has registered himself in the Medical Council after passing the medical examination. We also have a Medical Practitioners Act which restricts the quacks from practising medicine. We have the Magical Remedies Objectionable Advertisement Act which prohibits advertisements of magical remedies. We have a consumer Protection Act and the Monopoly Restriction of Trade Practises Act. But what use are these laws if the Law Enforcement Department does not enforce them by taking action against such crooks?

Though our ministers and the President have taken oath on our Constitution that they would protect our Constitution and Laws made under the Constitution. we find them visiting such crooks and patronising them.

When the Supreme Court has passed judgement when the Tibetans were arrested when the Chinese Premier visited India, that it is the right of even citizen to protest and agitate peacefully. We were arrested on 1.1.1986 by the Police of Andhra Pradesh when we marched to Puttaparthi to protest peacefully and explain to the people of Puttaparthi the tricks behind Satya Sai Baba's miracles. Though I had asked the State Authorities to give me protection, they protected the self proclaimed god and harassed us.

We have the press Council Act by which we can approach the Press Council if the press publishes articles without any truth in them. But the Press Council does not take any action on such-petitions when the Chairman of the press Council is also an inner circle member of the godman.

We were arrested on the plea that our peaceful protest would create law and order situation as Satya Sai Baba is very influential and his followers would get angry! That means the police would only protect the criminals and no the individual if the criminals are powerful.

When the Defence Department, Finance Department and the Home Department of the Government of India were informed of the smuggling of Indian Weapons to Uganda by Satya Sai Baba in exchange for Congo Gold, they were all silent, saying. that the matter is still under investigation Even after twelve years the investigation is not over. That means that the government also may be a party to the smuggling.

Under the Treasure Trove Act, all the things found under the earth belongs to the government. When complaint was made to the law enforcement department about an 18" inch gold Krishna Idol allegedly' taken from the earth and presented to the former Maharani of Rajkot, they were silent. When Satya Sai Baba has made gold, gold ornaments, diamonds and precious stones allegedly by his Supernatural power and presented them to influential, and even to Supreme Court Judges and their family members, when the Gold Control Act prohibits making of gold, possessing of gold and gifting of gold unless permitted by the gold Control Authority, the High Court Judge and the Bench found that Satya Sai Baba had "Materialised" gold in a split of a second and so it does not come under Gold Control Act. When the law of Conservation says that nothing can be created nor destroyed, without any evidence or record, the High Court dismissed my petition against Saga Sai Baba for contravening the Gold Control Act.

Unless the people come together to see that our law is enforced against the culprits. exploitation will continue. Otherwise people will have to take the law in their own hands. This will lead our country into chaos. This is what is happening in India. The militant activities are increasing day by day wherein thousands of innocent people are being murdered. The government cannot suppress the people without enforcing EQUALITY OF LAW AND JUSTICE and encouraging illegal activities and fraud. They have the dub to protect the citizens being exploited by the frauds. Let us hope that the government of India `will come forward in enforcing law and protecting the gullible people.

Afterword

I have been in search of miracles since I was twelve years of age. So far I have come across more that a thousand five hundred miracles and psychic phenomena. But when they were investigated, they were all tricks. From my experience I do not know whether I might yet come across a real miracle before die.

Friends. if any of you believe that you have come across a real miracle, supernatural, occult, psychic and spirit phenomenon, kindly let me know in detail what it is and where it is happening, with the address so that we can investigate it and find the truth. I would be happy to see a real miracle before I die.

Now a test for your intelligence and observation: In Gujarat a godman accepted our challenge and came forward to do a miracle. Our challenge was that he should burn a currency note which we give and produce again the -me number current note (But what he did was to take a rupee note from his pocket and ask us to see whether it was genuine or counterfeit. We were to write down the serial number of the note, burn it and give him the ash.) Then the note was burnt and the ash given to him, he mixed it with water which he drank. Immediately. he started having labour pains and through his mouth he "delivered" the same note with the same serial number. We washed it and examined it and found it was genuine.

This is the simplest trick I have ever come across.

I have put this test to thousands of people who have heard me in about seven thousand lectures. Many came forward with answers and I found that this trick can be done in hundreds of ways. I want you to think and let me know how it could be done.

B. Premanand
Convenor, Indian Committee for the Scientific
Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
11/7, Chettipalayan Road
Podanur 641 023 (Tamilnadu)
India

We are also making a video library of the miracles explained in this volume.

There will be more than ten volumes in this series which will explain about 1500 miracles, psychic and supernatural phenomena. A second volume is being prepared which will explain all the miracles Satya Sai Baba claims to have performed in his biography "Satyam Sivam Sundaram" in four parts.

Belief in god is a philosophy of life. When you believe that god is all powerful then he does not need the help of his followers to protect him. Nor is he a beggar. He does not need any middlemen to help him with money. You pray directly to him and if it gives you peace of mind and courage, well and good. But do not allow others to exploit you in the name of god.

Work hard to cultivate a scientific temper, humanism, and a spirit of enquiry: Educate others around you by instilling in them a scientific temper aid the spirit of enquiry. This will help our country to progress.

The Challenge 

Professor A. T. Kovoor, since 1963, had declared an award of Rs. 1, 00, 000/- for anyone who could demonstrate supernatural or miraculous powers under fraud-proof conditions. This was his challenge:

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.

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" 

1. Read the serial number of a sealed up currency note.
2. Produce an exact replica of a currency note.
3. Stand stationary on burning cinders for half a minute without blistering the feet.
4. Materialise from nothing an object I ask.
5. Move or bend a solid object using psychokinetic power.
6. Read the thought of another person using telepathic powers.
7. Make an amputated limb grow even one inch by prayer, spiritual or faith healing powers, Lourdes water, holy ash, blessing etc.
8. Levitate in the air by yogic power.
9. Stop the heart-beat for five minutes by yogi power.
10. Stop breathing for thirty minutes by yogi power.
11. Walk on water.
12. Leave the body in one place and reappear in another place.
13. Predict a future event.
14. Develop creative intelligence or get enlightened through transcendental or yogic meditation.
15. Speak or understand an unknown language as a result of rebirth or by being possessed by a spirit. holy or evil.
16. Produce a spirit or ghost to be photographed.
17. Disappear from the negative when photographed.
18. Get out of a locked room by, spiritual power.
19. Increase the quantity by weight of a substance by divine power.
20. Detect a hidden object.
21. Convert water into petrol or wine.
22. Convert wine into blood.
23. 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. 

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.

Dr. A. T Kovoor fell ill with cancer in 1976. I therefore continued his challenge after his death. 

Rules covering my offer concerning psychic, supernatural or paranormal claims:

Since claims will vary greatly in character and scope, specific rules must be formulated for each claimant. All claimants must agree to the rules set forth here before any formal agreement is entered into. A claimant will declare agreement by signing this form where indicated before a solicitor, commissioner for oaths, or notary public and returning the form to me. The eventual test procedure must be agreed upon by both parties before any testing procedures take place. l shall not act as a judge. Nor shall l design the protocol independently of the claimant. -All claimants must identify themselves properly before any discussions take place. Owing to the large amount of correspondence exchanged on this subject, all correspondence must include a stamped, self addressed envelope.

I, B. Premanand, will pay the sum of Rs. l00,000/- (Rs. One hundred thousand only) in Indian current to any person or persons who will demonstrate any psychic, supernatural of paranormal ability of any kind under satisfactory observing conditions. Such demonstration must take place under the following rules and limitations: 

1. The claimant must state clearly in advance. and the claimant and B. Premanand will agree upon what powers or abilities will be demonstrated. the limits of the proposed demonstration (as far as time, location and other variables are concerned) and what will constitute both a positive and a negative result.
2. Only an actual performance of the stated nature and scope within the agreed limits is acceptable.
3. The claimant agrees that all data of any kind (photographic, recorded written or other) gathered as a result of the testing may be used freely by me in any way I choose.
4. Tests will be designed in such a way that no judging procedure is required. Results will be self-evident to any observer, in accordance with the rules which will be agreed upon by all parties in advance of any formal testing procedure taking place. No part of the testing procedure may be changed in any way without the expressed agreement of all parties concerned.
5. I may ask the claimant to perform informally before an appointed representative, if distance and time dictate that need. for purposes of determining whether the claimant is likely to perform as promised.
6. l will not pay for expenses incurred by the claimant such as transportation, accommodation. or other costs.
7. When entering into this challenge, the claimant surrenders any and all rights to legal action against me, as far as this may be done by established statutes. This applies to injury, accident or any other damage of a physical or emotional nature and/or financial or professional loss of any kind.
8. Prior to the commencement of the formal testing procedure, 1 will give my draft for the full reward amount into the keeping of an independent person chosen by the claimant. in the event that the claimant is successful under the agreed terms and conditions, that draft for Rs. 1,00,000- shall be immediately surrendered to the claimant by the person holding that draft, in full settlement.
9. Copies of this document are available free of charge to any person who requests it and sends the required stamped, self addressed envelope to me.
10. This offer is made bye personally, and not on behalf of any other person, agency or organization, though others may become involved in the examination of claims, and others may add their reward money to mine in certain cases.
11. This offer is open to any and all persons, in any part of the world regardless of sex, race, educational background or other-factors, and will continue in effect until the prize is awarded, or until my death. My legal will states that. upon my death, the bard amount will be held in escrow and in charge of the Indian Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, 1/7 Chettipalayam Road, Podanur 641 023 (Tamil Nadu) India which is then empowered to continue the offer for a period of ten years after my demise, after which the reward amount can be used by them according to the objects of the Committee.
12. THE CLAIMANT MUST AGREE UPON WHAT WILL CONSTITUTE A CONCLUSION THAT HE OR SHE DOES NOT POSSESS THE CLAIMED ABILITY OR POWER.. This rule must be accepted by the claimant without reservation
13. The claimant should demonstrate his powers at the place, date and time fixed.

The claimant, by signing, notarizing and returning this form, signifies agreement with the above rules.

Indian Skeptic
c/o B. Premanand
11/7, Chettipalayam Road
Podanur 641 023
(Tamil Nadu) India

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