The Case for Reason: Volume Two: A Scientific Enquiry into Belief

The Case for Reason #2

by Narendra Dabholkar, Suman Oak (Translator)

Originally published in Marathi as Timiratuni Tejakade , rationalist and activist Dr Narendra Dabholkar’s magnum opus, The Case for Reason is both a vision document for, and a chronicle of, the battle that he and his co-activists waged against obscurantism, superstition, pseudo-sciences and blind faith in the scriptures. In Dabholkar’s view, it is the constitutional duty of every Indian citizen to develop a scientific temper, and the Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti’s (ANiS) campaigns have made this the central argument of their work. A few days after Dabholkar was shot dead by religious extremists in 2013, the Maharashtra government issued an anti-superstition ordinance that was in essence a tribute to Dabholkar’s life-long struggle. The Case for Reason is available in two volumes, the second of which— A Scientific Enquiry into Belief —delves into the anatomy of faith. In this volume, Dabholkar discusses god, religion, secularism and rationalism, and attempts to understand what it will take for society to transcend the infirmities that misguided religious faith imposes on society. Argumentative and illuminating, this book is a guide to the thinking of one of India’s most independent, important voices—available for the first time in an English translation.

Genres: Religion

133 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 7, 2019

About the author

Narendra Achyut Dabholkar (1 November 1945 – 20 August 2013) was an Indian rationalist and author from Maharashtra. He was the founder-president of Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), an organization set up to eradicate superstition in 1989. Triggered by his murder on 20 August 2013, the pending Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Ordinance was promulgated in the state of Maharashtra, four days later.

Dabholkar was born on 1 November 1945 to Achyut and Tarabai, being the youngest of ten siblings, the eldest was the late educationalist, Gandhian and socialist Devdatta Dabholkar. He did his schooling at New English School Satara and Willingdon College, Sangli. He was a qualified medical doctor, having obtained an MBBS degree from the Government Medical College, Miraj.

He was the captain of the Shivaji University Kabaddi team. He had represented India against Bangladesh in a Kabaddi tournament. He won the Maharashtra government's Shiv Chhatrapati Yuva Award for Kabaddi.

He was married to Shaila and has two children, Hamid and Mukta Dabholkar. His son was named after the social reformer Hamid Dalwai. He didn't believe in Vastu Shastra and built his house without any regards to the principles of Vastu Shastra. He also criticised extravagant marriage ceremonies and arranged for his own children to be married in simple ceremonies. The almanac was not consulted to select an auspicious time as it is traditionally done. Dabholkar was also an atheist.

Dabholkar had faced several threats and assaults since 1983 but had rejected police protection.
“If I have to take police protection in my own country from my own people, then there is something wrong with me, I'm fighting within the framework of the Indian constitution and it is not against anyone, but for everyone.”
— Dabholkar on rejecting police protection

Murdered on 20 August 2013, while out on a morning walk, Dabholkar was shot down by two unidentified gunmen near Omkareshwar temple, Pune at 7:20 AM IST. The assailants fired four rounds at him from a point blank range and fled on a motorcycle parked nearby. Two bullets hit Dabholkar in his head and chest. He later succumbed to his injuries while being treated at Sassoon Hospital.

Dabholkar had originally donated his body to a medical college. But, the autopsy made necessary by his murder left the slain leader's body unfit for academic purposes. He was cremated in Satara without any religious rites. His pyre was lit by his daughter, Mukta, in contradiction to the tradition where the son lights the pyre. His ashes were collected without any religious ceremony and scattered over his organic farm.

Reviews

[Udit Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the face of it this title might look contradictory that is how can one apply scientific enquiry into something which as subjective as belief. But I guess that's how well articulated this book is. The author has tried to deal with superstitions at large and has went on to explain how morality and humanitarianism can exist without religious diktats.

[A.soorianarayanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book for following scientific temper in one's life and eradicate superstitions from the midst of the people and save them from exploitation from the crooked. How the organisation is in the forefront in Maharashtra and the way they work among the people.

[Upendra R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through these pages I was introduced to a kind man who wanted secularism and rationalism to thrive through the work of Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti. What a sad state we live in that this man was shot for his efforts to uproot the evils of caste and superstition.