Monday, December 30, 2019

Ramayana: History or mythology?

The Ramayana is one of two epics, the other being the Mahabharata, which have had a crucial influence in shaping the nature of Indian civilization. The Ramayana existed in the oral tradition perhaps as far back as 1,500 BCE, but the fourth century BCE is generally accepted as the date of its composition in Sanskrit by Sage Valmiki. Many historians claim that Ramayana actually happened and is not a mythological folklore. Here are a few evidences that make a compelling case:


1) Cobra Hood cave, Sri Lanka
The tradition states that Sita was held in confinement in the Cobra Hood cave. There are many pre-historic drawings on its ceiling. An inscription in the cave that reads, ‘Parumaka naguliya lene’ further establishes a distinct link between Sita and the Cobra Hood cave. The Demons who guarded Sita while she was Ravana’s prisoner called her her Naguliya – one who was born off the ploughshare.

2) Existence of Hanuman Garhi
Lord Hanuman is one of the most important characters of Ramayana and an ardent devotee of Lord Rama. Hanuman Garhi, now a temple is a place in Ayodhya, where Hanuman was waiting patiently for Lord Rama who was in exile. Hanuman Garhi temple is also famous for its strategic location. It is situated at such a height and at such a site, from where the sunrises and sunsets are artistically visible.

3) Foot Prints of Lord Hanuman
When Hanuman reached Ashok Vatika, he is said to have come in the form of a giant. There are giant imprints on one side of the lake there which are said to be Hanuman's footprints, formed when he landed.

4) Ram Sethu
It is estimated that 'Rama's Bridge' is constructed in around 5000 B.C, with the use of wood and stones. This supports the claim of Ramayana being Historical. It is also backed by the construction method used to build the bridge is mentioned in the Valmiki's text.

5) Sync between time history and ages
Archaeological studies reveal that the first human inhabitation happened in Sri Lanka around 1,750,000 years ago and it’s been proved that the bridge’s age dates back to the same equivalent. To top it, the dates mentioned in the text of Valmiki matches with that of primitive age as well.

6) Mystery of Floating stones
In Ramayan it is mentioned that the Ram Setu was built by Stones and these stone starts Floating on water by touch of Nala & Neel. Some such stones were scattered at Rameswaram during the Tsunami, these stones still float on water. Many Geologist says RAMA Setu is built by natural process but failed to Provide enough proofs. Apart from Ramayana there are several facts which say Rama Setu is Man-made Structure.

7) Sanjeevani Mountain, Dunagiri
Lord Hanumana carried the entire mountain that had Sanjeevani Booti when Lakshmana lost his conscious during the Lanka war. This mountain was named as Dunagiri. In most re-tellings of Ramayana, after the medicines were used, Hanuman flies again to replace the mountain in its rightful place. There lies a scar on the side of Dunagiri where Hanumana sliced off a big chunk of mythological real estate, a scar which “bleeds” in the afternoon sun.

8) Himalayan Herbs in Sri Lanka
Exotic alpine Himalayan species are found suddenly amidst tropical Sri Lankan vegetation, the legacy of Hanuman’s heroic voyage carrying a mountain with life-restoring herbs called Sanjeevani.

9) Ashok Vatika, Sri Lanka
It was the location where Sita was held captive by Ravana after her abduction, because she refused to stay in Ravana's palace, and preferred to stay under the Ashoka tree, hence the name. Much of the Ashoka Vatika was destroye
d by Hanuman, when he first visited Lanka, searching for Sita. Its present location is believed to be the Hakgala Botanical Garden, the area is known as Seetha Eliya.

10) Existence of Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh
When Sita was abducted by Raavan, they bumped into Jatayu, a demi-god in vulture form, who tried his best to stop Raavan. Lepakshi, in Andhra Pradesh, is said to be the place where Jatayu fell. Ram, accompanied by Hanuman, met the dying Jatayu. Ram helped him attain moksha by uttering the words "Le Pakshi", which is Telugu for "Rise, bird". There's also a large footprint in that area which is said to be that of Hanumana's.

11) Four-tusked elephants
Sundar Kanda [4.27.12] states that Hanuman, on entering Lanka, sees Four-Tusked elephants guarding the palaces of Ravana. These elephants are tall and imposing and have been trained to protect Lanka from invaders. Well, fossil remains show that there were many steps in the evolution of the 'Modern Elephant' and there did exist four-tusked ancestors of elephants in various shapes and sizes such as Trilophodon, Tetralophodon, Gomphotherium etc around 20 million years ago!

12) Existence of Konda Kattu Gala, Ishtreepura
This was one of the places to which King Ravana shifted Sita as a precautionary measure which he was forced to take by Lord Hanuman's advent. There are lots of intruding tunnels and caves in this area. This seems to be a part of a great ingenious network of paths, which is interconnected to all the major areas of King Ravana's city.

13) Ravana’s palace
These tunnels prove beyond doubt the architectural brilliance of King Ravana. These tunnels served as a quick means of transport through the hills and also as a secret passage and networked all the important cities, airports and dairy farms. A .close look at these tunnels indicates that they are man-made and not natural formations. This Buddhist shrine at Kalutara was where once King Ravana's palace and a tunnel existed.

14) Kalaniya
After King Ravana’s death, Vibeeshana was coroneted as King of Lanka by Lakshmana at Kelaniya. There are murals enshrined outside the Buddhist temple depicting the crowning of Vibeeshana. The Kelani River is mentioned in the Valmiki Ramayana and Vibeeshana palace was said to be on the banks of this river.

15) Proof of Lord Hanuman setting fire to Ravana’s kingdom
The color of the soil of the ancient battlefield is still red today, and is still surrounded by lighter colored earth. One of the airports of Ravana, torched by Hanuman when he came looking for Sita, still has a scorched-earth look. A patch of darker soil surrounded by brown earth.

16) Divurumpola, Sri Lanka
After Ram rescued Sita from Lanka, he made her go through Agni Pariksha to test her purity. The place where this is said to have happened is Divurumpola in Sri Lanka. There is a tree in that exact spot and even today, local disputes are settled through debates and discussions under that tree.

17) Ramalingam
Since Rama felt guilty of killing a Brahmin (Brahmahasthi Dosham), he decided to take penance at Munneswaram, 80 km from present Colombo. This is the place where lord Rama prayed to lord Shiva and lord Shiva answered his prayer by asking him to install four lingams. Out of this four, one of the linga was made of sand by sita and other brought by lord hanuman from Kailas Mountain. Lingams at Rameshwaram and Manavari temple was built by lord Rama himself and so, is known as Ramalingam.

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