Rationalists want to probe `perpetual light' lamps

mangalore: the dakshina kannada rationalists'' association has requested chief minister s.m. krishna to allow them to examine the "miraculous phenomenon" of three lamps burning -- without oil -- for the past two decades at chigalli near mundgod in uttara kannada district. association secretary narendra nayak told reporters on monday that if the phenomenon was indeed true, it would be the greatest discovery in the history of mankind, and requested the chief minister to allow them to examine the veracity of the claims.being a rationalist, he asserted that it was a fraud being played to exploit the religious sentiments of the people. he said the association''s requests for examining the lamps had been denied by the owners of the place saying the "deity had not given the permission". in such circumstances, it is rather difficult to believe such a "miracle". nayak said he would give rs 1 lakh if the claims were true. he went a step ahead: "i will donate my entire property to the caretakers of the lamp and be their slave for life, if i find the phenomenon true." nayak, with the help of a lantern, demonstrated the phenomenon. he said any hurricane lantern could burn for 48 hours, if it was filled up with fuel (like kerosene). any lamp built under the same principle would also burn for a long time, hence it was easy for the caretakers to fill up the lamps anytime, usually when the place was closed for the pooja and beyond the gaze of the public. he regretted that minister for industries r.v. deshpande, who hails from the district, had fallen for the ruse and promised grants. nayak questioned the chief minister if the government would not verify the claims before releasing the grants. he also demonstrated some popular "miracles", like lamp burning with water, producing ash and others. nayak said since there were three lamps, one of them could be handed over to the association for examination. even if one was `desecrated'', the others would be intact.