Return gift: Dose of rationalism for Lanka, from India

India learnt first lesson in rationalism from AT Kovoor of Sri Lanka. The man challenged several superstitions and questioned many religious practices as early as 1976. This was similar to a movement started by Dayananda Saraswati and Vinoba Bhave in social reformation. Kovoor was one of the patriarchs of rationalism who visited India four times and sowed the seeds of rationalism in India.

After 35 years, Mangalore is planning to return the favour. It is taking steps to revive that movement, which seems to be forgotten by the people of Sri Lanka.

“After the death of the rationalist crusader AT Kovoor, the island country had lost its rationalist movement and many superstitions have come to life misleading the people there,” said Prof Narendra Nayak, president of the Federation of Indian Rationalist’s Association. 

“This has to be doused and vanquished forever, which is why the last generation of rationalists who have no leadership have called me to re-kindle the spirit of rationalism in Sri Lanka,” he added.

“It was during the Emergency that the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution of India was promulgated. This gave an impetus to the development of scientific temperament, enquiry and humanism. This had come as a boost to the rationalist movement in India. Kovoor, who was in Mangalore in 1976, did raise some fundamental religious issues and courted the wrath of the Hindutva activists at the time. But Indira Gandhi treated Kovoor’s campaign as a compliment to the amendment and provided security to him.”

His campaign, mainly in Mangalore as well as other parts of the country, had given birth to many rationalists in India. 

“I was one of them, but after his death on September 18, 1978, the rationalist movement died down in Sri Lanka and slowly the social evils came back to haunt the common people there. My mission will be to revive rationalism in Sri Lanka and re-kindle the spirit of scientific temperament and enquiry. I shall give talks, demonstrations, and interactive sessions and have dialogues with students, rationalists, policy makers and many other sub-sections of the society. I will also give lectures and demonstrations in the University of Preadeniya in Kandy where a large number of young students, researchers and teachers will be present,” he said.