https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=The_Great_Tantra_ChallengeThe Great Tantra Challenge - Revision history2026-08-17T22:54:13ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Great_Tantra_Challenge&diff=119439&oldid=prev>Aniol: /* External links */2020-04-14T14:16:58Z<p><span class="autocomment">External links</span></p>
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[[File:The_Great_Tantra_Challenge.jpg|thumb|Edamaruku (left) and Sharma during the live broadcast of the challenge]]<br />
'''''The Great Tantra Challenge''''' was the challenge put forward to Surinder Sharma, a [[Neotantra|tantrik]], by [[Sanal Edamaruku]], the president of [[Rationalist International]] to kill him on [[live TV]] using only the [[Magic (paranormal)|magic]]al powers he claims to possess.<ref name="rationalist"/> The challenge ended after several hours, with Edamaruku surviving unharmed. The event was broadcast live on [[India TV]] in March 2008.<br />
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== Background ==<br />
After a politician made accusations that her opponents were using Tantra to hurt her, India TV put together a panel to discuss ''Tantric Power versus Science''. Sanal Edamaruku was invited to represent the science side while Surinder Sharma, who is a well known tantric, was invited to represent the other side. At one point in the discussion Sharma claimed he could use his powers to kill a person within three minutes,<ref name=SanalEdamaruku/> which Edamaruku turned into a challenge, offering himself as a test subject.<ref name="npr">[https://www.npr.org/blogs/bryantpark/2008/04/india_tvs_great_tantra_challen.html India TV's Great Tantra Challenge - with an interview with Sanal and videos of the event], [[National Public Radio]] website, accessed on 2008-6-12.</ref><br />
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== Outcome ==<br />
The initial attempt took place on live daytime television. Sharma tried to intimidate Edamaruku by sprinkling water on him, brandishing a knife all over his body, Sharma put his hand on Edamaruku's head, ruffled his hair, covered his eyes, pressed down on his forehead. When Sharma pressed steadily harder, in a manner Edamaruku described as "hard enough to kill me the conventional way", the umpiring anchor cautioned Sharma to use Tantra only.<ref name=SanalEdamaruku>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2010/mar/23/surender-sharma-tv-ritual-edamaruku|title=The night a guru tried to kill me on TV|author=Sanal Edamaruku|work=the Guardian}}</ref> After several failed attempts to kill Edamaruku, Sharma suggested that Edamaruku must have been being protected by a powerful god whom he served.<ref name=SanalEdamaruku/> Edamaruku replied that he was an atheist.<ref name="rationalist"/><br />
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After nearly two hours without success, the programme was overrunning the channel's schedule. Sharma asked to stage an "ultimate destruction ceremony" which could only be performed at night, and the show was extended to accommodate it.<ref name="rationalist">{{cite web | url=http://www.rationalistinternational.net/article/2008/20080310/en_1.html | title=The Great Tantra Challenge | publisher=Rationalist International | accessdate=2 November 2015 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318045751/http://www.rationalistinternational.net/article/2008/20080310/en_1.html | archivedate=18 March 2008 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> Several hundred million viewers watched that night. A ceremony was performed on an altar under the open night sky, in the hour before midnight. Sharma was accompanied by a group of tantric chanters.<ref name=SanalEdamaruku/> A piece of paper with Edamaruku's name on it was torn into pieces, dipped in butter and thrown into a fire.<ref name="rationalist"/> A clod of wheat that Edamaruku had touched had nails pierced through it, was cut into pieces and thrown into a fire.<ref name="rationalist"/> The challenge ended with a dramatic countdown, and Edamaruk was not killed.<ref name=SanalEdamaruku/><br />
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Edamaruku laughed throughout the programme, partly because he found the whole affair absurd but mainly to reassure viewers they need not fear for his safety.<ref name=SanalEdamaruku/> <br />
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The event, dubbed ''The Great Tantra Challenge'', was highly publicized and received a high number of viewers. Surinder had to give up and the tantric's reputation was dealt a blow.<ref name="rationalist"/><ref name=npr/> The story spread across the Internet in many languages.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indianrationalists.blogspot.co.uk/2008/07/great-tantra-challenge.html|title=Indian Rationalist Association|work=indianrationalists.blogspot.co.uk}}</ref><br />
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The lead character in the popular 2014 Hindi movie ''[[PK (film)|PK]]'' was inspired by Edamaruku's ''Great Tantra Challenge''.<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130903171527/https://rationalist.org.uk/articles/1773/death-on-air Death on air, Sanal Edamuruku on the night a guru tried to kill him live on Indian TV] ''By Sanal Edamaruku''<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Great Tantra Challenge, The}}<br />
[[Category:Scientific skepticism]]<br />
[[Category:Prizes for proof of paranormal phenomena]]<br />
[[Category:2008 in India]]</div>>Aniol