Water, anyone? This VC’s a diviner
With a key tied to the end of a copper wire, Madurai Kamaraj University vice-chancellor P P Chellathurai, whose science courses are popular among students, chases “underground water streams” on the campus. In an interview withTOI’sPradeep Kumar, he talks about his body’s magnetic powers, his vision for the university and why scientists cannot explain his water divining ability...
Madurai: The head of a university deemed by the UGC as having the potential for academic excellence, 63-year-old Chellathurai defines magnetic power thus: “Magnetic power is a power within the man which will interplay with electromagnetic force in the Earth.”
For the uninitiated, this was Chellathurai’s attempt at explaining his water divining power — an unproven, unscientific method to determine the presence of ground water using common household items. The university’s website claims that Chellathurai, using a two-feet copper wire with a steel key tied to one end and helped generously by the “magnetic power” he possesses, had managed to identify eight hitherto unknown sources of ground water at various places on the campus. When TOI met him on Friday, Chellathurai said he had ‘discovered’ three more.
“I have saved the university several crores of rupees. In fact, after reading about my powers in a Tamil newspaper, residents in 500 villages around Madurai have written asking me to come visit their place and help identify water. I would go but my commitment as vice-chancellor keeps me busy,” he said, adding that due to his efforts the campus had gone from being water-deficient to becoming water-sufficient.
Where geologists would struggle, Chellathurai excels. The VCexplainedthat he studies the swirl pattern on the key suspended from the wire to determine the presence of water. “If the key swirls around in small circles, then there is only monkey urination level water present. If the swirl radius is larger, then we can be sure that elephant urination level water is present,” he said.
If Chellathurai’s use of water divining jargon did not unsettle you, sample this. Asked by this reporter for a practical demonstration of his powers, Chellathurai held “the instrument” in his hands and made the key swirl around, helped by the magnetic power vested in the palm of his right hand.
Calling himself a disciple of Swami Vivekananda, Chellathurai firmly believes in one of the former’s quotes about truth being subjected to ridicule first, opposition next before eventually earning acceptance. Thisbelief is, perhaps, the reason why he is not bothered about the lack of scientific evaluation of his powers.
“I am a layman and not a scientist. But I do possess a scientific temper. Physics experts won’t be able to connect thedots as tohow I manage (to detect water). My understanding is that the power in my body is transmitted through the copper wire and into the key. The key establishes contact with the Earth,” he said.
When did you realise you had these powers?
Chellathurai: It was 20 years ago at an estate owned by a friend near Erode. I saw a villager predicting water’s presence near a dry well using just a stick and a piece of lemon. I asked the villager if I could try, and to my surprise I found that I had the same powers as him.
Do you plan to share the knowledge behind your powers with MKU students?
I do have plans to find out if MKU students have these powers. There are 5,000 students on this campus. If even 500 had this power, then this country’s water crisis will be solved.
Does that mean you will set up a department/chair to study water divining?
Now that you have asked, I willholddiscussions with my university staff to see if an institution of water divining can be set up. In this country, there is liberty to do anything that doesn’t cost you money (laughs).
Are you worried about detractors?
Water divining is my hobby. I do not charge the university for it. So, there is no need for me to getintoconflictwith people who raise questions. Besides, I am doing this because I am the vice-chancellor.
Vice-chancellor P P Chellathurai with an ‘instrument’ searches for water streams on the Madurai Kamaraj University campus
With a key tied to the end of a copper wire, Madurai Kamaraj University vice-chancellor P P Chellathurai, whose science courses are popular among students, chases “underground water streams” on the campus. In an interview withTOI’sPradeep Kumar, he talks about his body’s magnetic powers, his vision for the university and why scientists cannot explain his water divining ability...
Madurai: The head of a university deemed by the UGC as having the potential for academic excellence, 63-year-old Chellathurai defines magnetic power thus: “Magnetic power is a power within the man which will interplay with electromagnetic force in the Earth.”
For the uninitiated, this was Chellathurai’s attempt at explaining his water divining power — an unproven, unscientific method to determine the presence of ground water using common household items. The university’s website claims that Chellathurai, using a two-feet copper wire with a steel key tied to one end and helped generously by the “magnetic power” he possesses, had managed to identify eight hitherto unknown sources of ground water at various places on the campus. When TOI met him on Friday, Chellathurai said he had ‘discovered’ three more.
“I have saved the university several crores of rupees. In fact, after reading about my powers in a Tamil newspaper, residents in 500 villages around Madurai have written asking me to come visit their place and help identify water. I would go but my commitment as vice-chancellor keeps me busy,” he said, adding that due to his efforts the campus had gone from being water-deficient to becoming water-sufficient.
Where geologists would struggle, Chellathurai excels. The VCexplainedthat he studies the swirl pattern on the key suspended from the wire to determine the presence of water. “If the key swirls around in small circles, then there is only monkey urination level water present. If the swirl radius is larger, then we can be sure that elephant urination level water is present,” he said.
If Chellathurai’s use of water divining jargon did not unsettle you, sample this. Asked by this reporter for a practical demonstration of his powers, Chellathurai held “the instrument” in his hands and made the key swirl around, helped by the magnetic power vested in the palm of his right hand.
Calling himself a disciple of Swami Vivekananda, Chellathurai firmly believes in one of the former’s quotes about truth being subjected to ridicule first, opposition next before eventually earning acceptance. Thisbelief is, perhaps, the reason why he is not bothered about the lack of scientific evaluation of his powers.
“I am a layman and not a scientist. But I do possess a scientific temper. Physics experts won’t be able to connect thedots as tohow I manage (to detect water). My understanding is that the power in my body is transmitted through the copper wire and into the key. The key establishes contact with the Earth,” he said.
When did you realise you had these powers?
Chellathurai: It was 20 years ago at an estate owned by a friend near Erode. I saw a villager predicting water’s presence near a dry well using just a stick and a piece of lemon. I asked the villager if I could try, and to my surprise I found that I had the same powers as him.
Do you plan to share the knowledge behind your powers with MKU students?
I do have plans to find out if MKU students have these powers. There are 5,000 students on this campus. If even 500 had this power, then this country’s water crisis will be solved.
Does that mean you will set up a department/chair to study water divining?
Now that you have asked, I willholddiscussions with my university staff to see if an institution of water divining can be set up. In this country, there is liberty to do anything that doesn’t cost you money (laughs).
Are you worried about detractors?
Water divining is my hobby. I do not charge the university for it. So, there is no need for me to getintoconflictwith people who raise questions. Besides, I am doing this because I am the vice-chancellor.
Vice-chancellor P P Chellathurai with an ‘instrument’ searches for water streams on the Madurai Kamaraj University campus
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