Ramayana, Geo-scientific Evidences (K. Gopalakrishnan, Aug. 26, 2013)

7/30/2019 Ramayana, Geo-scientific Evidences (K. Gopalakrishnan, Aug. 26, 2013)

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RAMAYANA MYTHOLOGY OR HISTORY - 1

FACTS & EVIDENCES 1

COMPILED AND PRESENTED

By

K.Gopalakrishnan,

Director (Retired), Geological Survey,

Government of India

(THE FULL PPT COVERS FACTS AND EVIDENCES FROM A

WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS INCLUDING GEO-SCIENTIFIC

EVIDENCES,AND IS PRESENTED IN 2 PARTS. THIS IS PART-1).INTERESTED PERSONS MAY

CONTACT AUTHOR FOR THOSE OTHER DETAILS.


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WHY THIS QUESTION ?

TWO CONTROVERSIES REGARDING RAMAYANA ARE RAGING ININDIA.1. Rama Janma Bhoomi issue.

1. Rama Sethu issue.

Both cases are pending with the Supreme Court of India.

One concerning the Demolition by Hindu activists, of a Mogul

structure-Babri Masjid, which was built over pre-existing HinduTemple.

The Other regarding the Attempt at the Destruction of an existingHindu Religious and Heritage Structure-Rama Sethu, by the

secularist Government of India.

The Main controversy in both cases is whether Ramayana was aMythology and Rama was a Mythological Figure, or Ramayana isa Historical record of a Historical figure. So a Scientific analysis ofall related Scientific Data is of paramount importance to arrive at

proper conclusion.


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FACTS & EVIDENCES -1

1. COMMON SENSE REASONS.

2. AGE OF RAMAYANA

A. FROM HINDU COSMIC TIME SCALE

(i) As per Yuga Cycles

(ii) As per Vishnu Purana

(iii) As per Manu Samhita

(iv) As per Srimad Bhagavatham

(v) As per Swami Yukteshwar Giri

B. ASTRONOMICAL EVIDENCES

(i) By Vedic Astronomyby Dr. P.V.Vartak

(ii) By Modern Astronomy by Pushkar Bhatnagar

C. SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCES

(i) Sea Level Changes

(ii) Anthropological Evidencesof Early mans Migration

(iii) Botanical evidences

(iv) Zoological evidences


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FACTS & EVIDENCES - 2 3. HISTORICAL EVIDENCES

A. Lineage of Rama

(i)Ramas Ancestors (ii) Ramas Descendants

B. References in Ancient Literature

(i) Puranas

(ii) Tamil Sangam Literatures

(iii) Other 5th 6th Century Literatures

(iv) References Later Ramayanas in Other Languages

(v) Moghul Time Ramayana and Mahabharata

C. HISTORICAL PAINTINGS

D. OLDER RECORDS AND TRAVELLOGUES

E. REFERENCES IN HISTORICAL MAPS FROM PURANIC TIMES TO PRESENT-DAY

F. LOGO OF SURVEY OF INDIA

4. ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES

A. From Excavations

B. Inscriptions on Pillars, Plaques and Copper PlatesC. References in Ancient Coinages

D. References in Ancient Temple Sculptures

E. Terracotta Depictions & Sculptures


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FACTS & EVIDENCES - 3 5. GEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCES

A. Ramas Trip with Maharishi VISHWAMITRA

B. Ramas route during Vanavas and to Sri Lanka 6. GEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCES FROM TAMIL NADU

7. GEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES FROM TAMIL NADU

8. GEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES FROM SRI LANKA

9. GEOTECTONIC EVIDENCES

A. (i)From the present-Day Active zone in South Pacific to the Present-Dayapparently Inactive Rama Sethu Zone

(ii) Rise of hill from mid-ocean in response to horst-graben tectonics alongcoasts of both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka

B. ValmikisDescription of the above site with Ramas arrow piercing the ocean& seismic, volcanic and tsunami activities in the ocean

C. Drying up of ocean in the far away north at Markandara by RamasBrahmaastra the present day Thaar desert in Rajasthan with trillinos oftons of rock salt below the sands.

10. EVIDENCE FROM BOREHOLES IN RAMA SETHU AREA


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NOT A MYTHOLOGY

COMMON SENSE REASONS

No Mythology has been rewritten in so many languages through thousands of years.In India, apart from at least four more Ramayanas in Sanskrit, there are theJainPaumachariyam in Prakrit, Ramcharit Manas by Tulsi Das in Hindi, SundaranandaRamayana and Adarsha Raghava in Nepali,Katha Ramayana in Assamese,Krittivas

Ramayan in Bengali, Jagamohan Ramayana in Oriya, Rama Balalika in Gujarati,Ramavatar in Punjabi, Ramavatara Charita in Kashmiri, besides the well known KambaRamayanam in Tamil, Ramacharitam in Malayalam,Ranganatha Ramayanam in Telugu

and Torave Ramayana in Kannada.

No Mythology is discussed with so many different explanatory notes in so manylanguages.

No Mythological characters were revered and worshipped through ages in any othercountry by people of varied races, different languages, diverse traditions and habits,

having assorted and multiple types ofdresses and foods.

No Mythological characters have been built with so many temples, memorials and

pilgrimage centres for representing the various incidents of their lives at so manyplaces not only throughout India but also outside like Sri Lanka and many SE Asian

countries.

Lives of no Mythological Characters formed the sources of so many festivals, dances,dramas and other art-forms through many centuries not only throughout India, but

also in many other countries of SE Asia.


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AGE OF RAMAYANA ON HINDU COSMIC

TIME SCALE (YUGAS)

The 4 Yugas and the Hindu Cosmic Time Scale

Satya Uuga 17,28,000 yrs

Treta Yuga 12,96,000 yrs

Dwapara Yuga - 8,64.000 yrs

Kali Yuga - 4,32,000 yrs.

According to Hindu scriptures Rama was born in the FIRST

QUARTER of TRETA YUGA and roughly 5,000 yrs. have passed

in KALI YUGA.

Then Today Ramas age will be around 18,00,000 yrs.

NASA first gave the AGE OF RAMA SETHU as 17,50,000 yrs.


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COSMIC(SIDEREAL ?) TIME-SCALE AS PER

VISHNU PURANA

Time measurement section of the Vishnu Purana Book I Chapter IIIexplains the above as follows:

2 Ayanas (six month periods) = 1 human year or

= 1 day of the devas4,000 + 400 + 400 = 4,800 divine years = 1 Krita Yuga3,000 + 300 + 300 = 3,600 divine years = 1 Tret Yuga

2,000 + 200 + 200 = 2,400 divine years = 1 Dwpara Yuga1,000 + 100 + 100 = 1,200 divine years = 1 Kali YugaTotal of 12,000 divine years = 4 Yugas = 1 Mahayuga

(also called divine yuga)Reckoning of time for Brahma.

1000 Mahayugas = 1 kalpa = 1 day (DAY only) of Brahma(4,320,000,000 human years).

AS PER THIS TIME SCALE, AGE OF RAMA IS ABOUT 6,300 DIVINEYEARS


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MANU SAMHITA YUGA TIME - SCALE

MANU SAMHITA ALSO DESCRIBES THE 4 YUGAS AS FOLLOWS:

Dawn Era Dusk Total Name

400 + 4000 + 400 = 4800 years. Satya Yuga (Golden Age)

300 + 3000 + 300 = 3600 years. Treta Yuga (Silver Age)200 + 2000 + 200 = 2400 years. Dwapara Yuga (Bronze Age)

100 + 1000 + 100 = 1200 years. Kali Yuga (Iron Age)

TOTAL = 12,000 years

(Note this time scale is the same as the Divine years as statedin Vishnu Purana).

AGE OF RAMA ACCORDINGLY WILL BE 6,300 DIVINE OR

SIDEREAL YEARS


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Time structure (Skandam-3; Chapter-11; Srimad Bhagavatam).


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SWAMY YUKTESHWARS YUGA TIME-SCALE - 1

Swamy Yukteshwar Giri is the Guru of Paramahamsa Yoganandha of SelfRealisation Foundation, Calcutta, Puri & California and Grand Disciple of Guru

BABAJI (OfRajnikanth)

According to Swamy Yukteshwar Giris concept, the sun, with its planetsand their moons, takes a companion star and revolves around it inabout 24,000 years of our earth

a celestial phenomenon which causes the backward movement of the

equinoctial points around the zodiac (PRECESSION OF EQUINOXES).The sun also has another motion by which it revolves round a grandcenter calledVishnunabhi,which is the seat of the creative power,Brahma, the universal magnetism.The cycle of yugas takes place twice in each 24,000 year revolution. Asthe sunrecedesfromVishnunabhi,the yugas pass in thedescending

phase: Satya (4,800 YRS), Treta (3,600 YRS), Dvapara(2,400 YRS), andKali(1,200 YRS) for a total of 12,000 yrs. As the sun approachesVishnunabhi,the yugas pass in the ascending order: Kali (1,200 yrs),Dvapara (2,400 yrs), Treta (3600 yrs) and Satya (4,800 yrs) for another12,000 yrs.


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SWAMY YUKTESHWAR GIRIS YUGA TIME-SCALE - 2

In his book, The Holy Science, Sri Yukteswar explains that the ascending phase ofKali Yugabegan in September of 499 C.E. So it followsthat we have been in the ascending phase of

Dwapara Yuga since September of 1699 CE.Accordingly, the age of Ramayana in the 1st quarter of Treta yuga will be around 8700

BP.- (ca.6700 BC.)

[Note the 12,000 years ascending and descending yuga cycles are the same as thosedescribed in Vishnu Purana and Manu Samhitha]

Yukteshwars 24,000 yrs cycle is nearly equivalent of the Modern AstronomicalPRECESSION CYCLE OF THE EQUINOXES of 25,920 yrs which are also divided into 4

quadrants.

It would be appropriate to refer at this point in this presentation to thefiner divisionswithin a year :

12 months per year30 days per month24 hours per day

60 ghatikas per day (1 ghatika = 24 minutes)60 palas per ghatika

6 asus (breathing) = one pala (24 seconds)1 asu = 2.5 kasthas (the time interval of 4 seconds)

1 kastha = 4 dirgha matras


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FINER DIVISIONS OF TIME

Our Present division of A DAY

24 hours a day; 12 hours (roughly) DAY Time, when we are facing SUN and 12

hours (roughly) Night Time, when we are away from SUN. 60 Minutes per hour; 720 minutes for DAY & 720 Minutes for NIGHT.

60 Seconds per Minute; 43200Seconds for DAY and 43200 seconds forNIGHT.

NOTE THAT THE UNITS OF 43200 (SECONDS) AND 12 (HOURS) ARE THE SAME

AS THE UNITS OF COSMIC YUGAS & OF DESCENDING AND ASCENDINGYUGAS CONCEPT OF SRI YUKTESHWAR GIRI.

(The basic concept of yuga, Chaturyuga etc. are fundamental, the measure ofa yuga varies on the object being measured. Measures such as yuga basicallydenote the ratio and phase, with the scale varying, based on the time-scaleof the event being measured. As such, the yuga for COSMIC EVENTS are

different from the yuga for SOLAR (SIDEREAL) EVENTS, which are againdifferent from the yuga for EARTH EVENTS. A LOT OF FURTHER DETAILEDRESEARCHES ARE NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND THE TIME AND SPACE CONCEPTSACCORDING TO HINDU TRADITIONS.)


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ASTRNOMICAL EVIDENCES

Specific Planetary Configurations will occur only once in many

thousands of years. Thus they are cyclic.Many Ancient Hindus, even many Indians of today, are well versed

in the traditional Vedic Astronomy and are producing Solar and

Lunar based Hindu calendars depicting Panchangas of every day for

every year for many centuries, depicting accurately movements of

planets, dates & periods of different eclipses as well as placeswhere they are visible etc.

In Valmiki Ramayana precise Planetary Configurations are given during

specific events in Ramas Life, on particular days (Tithies), Fortnights

(Pakshas) and months of Indian Lunar Calendar.

These configurations were verified and corroborated by the use of VedicAstronomical computations by many Indian astronomers. The computed

data, backwards from the present ,tallies very well sequentiallywith

Valmiki Ramayana astronomical details, thus proving them to be Actual

Recordings and not mere conjectures or figments of imagination.


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ASTRONOMICAL EVIDENCES

By Vedic Astronomy Dr. P.V.Vartak

Dr. P.V.Vartak, with same astronomical descriptions of Valmiki Ramayana, butusing manual calculations ,had determined ages of different events of Ramas

life with respect to Gregorian Calendar.

Rama's Birth Date 4th December 7323 B.C

Rama-Seeta Marriage 7th April 7307 B.C

Rama Exiled 29th November 7306 B.C.Hanuman enters Lanka 1st September 7292 B.C

Hanuman meets Seeta 2nd September 7292 B.C.

Setu (Bridge) built 26-30th Oct. 7292 B.C

The War begins 3rd November 7292 B.C

Kumbhakarna is killed 7th November 7292 B.C.Ravana is killed by Rama 15th November 7292 B.C.

Rama returns to Ayodhya 6th December 7292 B.C.

(Vartak,P.V. 1999 The scientific Dating of Rmayana and Vedas,Ved VidnyanaMandal,Pune)


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ASTRNOMICAL EVIDENCES

By Modern Astronomy & use of Computer software

Specific Planetary Configurations will occur only once in many thousands of

years. Thus they are cyclic.

In Valmiki Ramayana precise Planetary Configurations are given during

specific events in Ramas Life, on patricular days (Tithies), Fortnights

(Pakshas) and months of Indian Lunar Calender.

These configurations were verified and corroborated by Sri. PushkarBhatnagar by using modern computer techniques involving Planetorium

Software developed by NASA. Bhatnagar could determine very accurately

the date of birth of Rama as well as his correct age during many phases of

his life sequentiallyand tallying with descriptions given in Ramayana, thus

proving the veracity and authenticity ofValmikis writings.

Such accurate astronomical facts can not come from the wild imagination of

a poet, but only from historical facts.


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ERA OF RAMABHATNAGARS FINDINGS

DATE OF BIRTH OF RAMAValmiki-Around Noon on Navami tithi of Shukla Paksha of lunar

month of Chaitra in Indian Lunar Calender.

Bhatnagar- Between 12 Noon to 01.00pm on 10 January, 5114 BC

(7126 BP-from Present)

DATE OF EXILEValmiki- Rama was 25 years old when he left Ayodhya on exile.

Bhatnagar around 05 January, 5089 BC (age of Rama 25; 5114--

5089), from the planetary positions seen by Dasharatha of his

impending death, which led him to plan to coronate Rama as King.

WAR WITH KHAR & DUSHAN AT PANCHAVATI, NASIK

Valmiki In the later half of 13th year of exile, Rama fought with

Khar- Dushan on an Amavasya tithi coinciding with a solar eclipse

when Mars was in the middle.


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ERA OF RAMABHATNAGARS FINDINGS (CONTD.)

Bhatnagar Solar Eclipse on 07 October, 5077 BC on an Amavasya day,

with Mars in the middle, and on one side were Venus and Mercury, &On the other side-Sun and Saturn. Eclipse could be seen from

Panchavati, Nasik in the Afternoon. It is exactly in the later half of 13 th

year of exile (Jan,5089Oct.5077=+12).

OTHER FINDINGS

Six months later, Bali(Vali)s death was also on an Amavasya day ofAshadh month another Solar eclipse day- 3 April,5076 BC.

After five months, Hanumans meeting with Sita Devi during a Lunar

Eclipse day 12 September,5076 BC.

Hanumans return from Lanka 8 out of 12 constellations seen on

horizon - 14 September, 5076 B.C.

Ravanas death 04 December, 5076 BC.

Ramas return to Ayodhya after Exile 02 January, 5075 BC, on a Shukla

Paksha Navami day of Chaitra month (Jan.5089Jan.5075 = 14 years).


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AGE OF RAMAYANA THE EXACT AGE OF RAMA AND RAMAYANA AS ARRIVED AT BY VARIOUS

AUTHORS BY DIFFERENT METHODS APPEAR TO BE AT VARIANCE, RANGING

FROM AROUND 9,300 BP (VARTAK) THROUGH 8,900 BP (YUKTESHWARGIRI)TO 7,100 BP (BHATNAKAR). SOME OTHERS- ARUN UPADHYAYA, HADGIVEN AGE OF AROUND 6,400 BP.

BUT WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT IS THAT THE SEQUENTIAL ORDER OFCELESTIAL EVENTS DESCRIBED BY VALMIKI IN RAMAYANA (WHICH MAYOCCUR IN CYCLES OF AROUND 24,000 TO 26,000 YEARS) CAN BECORRELATED IN THESE CALCULATIONS. SO WE CAN SAFELY ASSUME THAT

THE ERA OF RAMAYANA IS BETWEEN 6,500 TO 9,000 YEARS BP. IT IS ALSOSUPPORTED BY SEA-LEVEL CHANGES.

The other very old age of 17,50,000 to 18.00,000 years may represent oldercycle of the said celestial events.

The smallest unit of time is a kaashta which is 18 times the amount of time it

takes to blink an eyelid. 10 kaashtas make a kshanam and 12 kshanamsconstitute a muhoortam. 60 of these muhoortams constitute a day.30 daysconstitute a month and 3 months make up a ritu. 12 months of courseconstitue a human year.


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HINDU COSMOLOGICAL DATING & SEA LEVEL

CHANGES DURING MIOCENE-PLEISTOCENE TIMES

RESEARCH PAPER BY MALCOLM

P.R.LIGHTHAS SHOWN

AUTHENTICITY OF RAMAYAN

WRITINGS AND CONSTRUCTION OF

RAMA SETHU IN TRETA YUGA.

It has resisted the relentless

erosion of the sea for almost

2 million years and it attests

to the great engineering skills

of the ancient Indian people.

It is the earliest and largest

carbon-fibre reinforced civilengineering structure known

to man and should be

protected as a world heritage

site.
http://bp3.blogger.com/_UwwzmzFWHXA/SIpNFMcDVVI/AAAAAAAACWg/qsPImU9At3c/s1600-h/setu.JPG


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SEA LEVEL CHANGES DURING HOLOCENE PERIOD

Supreme Court mandated excavations of 2002-03 indicate that the earliest

habitations at Ayodhya go back well before 1000 BCE (possibly 1980-1320BCE).

Ayodhya excavations suggest Ram's era fell around 1,000 BCE, when the sealevel was probably six metres below current levels, exposing the entire land-mass near Dhanushkodi to Talaimannar. The odd stretch underwater couldeasily be filled up to create a ford to cross over. A close up of the setu showsfirm edges on both sides (to prevent erosion), suggestive of human agency.

It can be seen that although around 1,800,000 years BP, India and Sri Lankamight have been connected by land, around 7,300 years BP, the sea level inSouthern Tamil Nadu coast was about 3.5 m above the present level(of 013 m water depth at Rama Sethu). This was arrived at by Dr.P.K.Banerji fromthe study of corals on land around Pamban, Rameswaram, and Tuticorin. Thisperiod of sea level increase coincides with the era of Rama (~7000 years BP),

as arrived at from the astronomical evidences ofPushkar Bhatnagar. This willthus become a scientific evidence for the oscillations in sea level and existenceof sea between India and Sri Lanka during Ramas era and the descriptions inValmiki Ramayana are authentic.


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ANTHROPOLOGICAL EVIDENCES -

MIGRATION OF EARLY MAN, HOMO-ERECTUS

FROM AFRICA TO S.INDIA IN TRTA YUGA

RESEARCHES BY D.JOSEPH AND G.P.EBERLI HAD INDICATD THATHOMO-ERECTUS, THE EARLY MAN STARTED TO MOVE OUT OF AFRICA

TO INDIA DURING 2.0 TO 1.8 MILLION YRS. AGO (IN TRETA YUGA).

TRETA YUGA REPRESENTS A PRIOD OF RISING SEA LEVELS DURING

WHICH HINDU COSMOLOGY SAID THAT THERE WAS INCREASED RAINFALL AND FORMATION OF NEW RIVERS. DVAPURA YUGA IS A PERIODOF FALLING SEA LEVEL, FOLLOWED BY A RISE AT THE BEGINNING OF

KALI YUGA.

ACCORDING TO JOSEPH AND EBERLI, ADAMS BRIDGE APPEARS TOHAVE BENN CONSTRUCTED BY SUCH HOMINIDS CONNECTING SOUTH

INDIA AND SRI LANKA BETWEEN 1.8 AND 1.6 MILLION YRS. AGO INTRETA YUGA, DURING A PERIOD OF SHARP SEA LEVEL FALL TO SOME

60 METERS BELOW THE PRESENT SEA LEVEL.(Note this the age given at first by NASA for Rama Sethu Bridge)


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BOTANICAL EVIDENCES - 1

The research scientists from CPR Environmental Education Centre,

Chennai, who undertook a journey from Ayodhya to Lanka to retrace the

life of exile by Ram, Sita and Lakshman found all the plants, trees,flowers and fruits that have been mentioned by Valmiki in Ramayan. The

accounts given by Valmiki about different landscapes, mountains, river

basins and forests are accurate. When the Ramayan was being written,

there were thick forests in Naimisharanya, Chitrakoot, Dandakaranya

and Panchavati. The Kishkindha Kanda of Ramayan discusses the geographical

distribution, botanical wealth and forestry. The places Ram chose to stay

during his exile from Ayodhya were full of plants, vegetations and

biodiversity. The poems contain all flora and fauna mentioned in Rig Veda.


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BOTANICAL EVIDENCES - 2

In Yuddha Kanda, Valmiki describes the Sanjeevani hill with exquisite medicinal

plants and herbs, brought by Hanuman from the Himalayas to revive the fallen

Lakshmana and others of vanara army by the Brahmaastra.

A hillock named ROMOSOLA or SUMERU PARVAT within the tropical forests ofSri

Lanka is reported to contain exquisite flora, fauna and medicinal plants. It stands

distinct from the Lankan topography, giving credence to the theory that this is the

hill that Hanuman brought from the Himalayas. Is it the Sanjeevani Bath Kadya inthe left image?Another small hillock with similar medicinal plants and herbs is reported from near Nagarkoil in Tamil Nadu.

No such herbs and plants were seen in the surrounding areas in Kanyakumari district or in the nearby western

ghats forests. The above hill is also thought to be a part of Sanjeevani parvat fallen during its transport.

See the distinct vegetation/forests between Ratnapura and Nuwera Eliya

in the right image. Is it the Ashoka vanam/Ashoka vatika?


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ZOOLOGICAL EVIDENCES - 1

Valmiki has mentioned in many

places in Aranya Kanda regarding

the existence of dense junglesfull oflions and tigers, in

Dandakaranya covering parts of

the present-day Madhya Pradesh

and Maharashtra. The

coexistence of the two cats in

this region is hard to imagine

now, as these areas are now the

exclusive domain of only tigers.

The lions are restricted

elsewhere to the west in Girnar,

Gujarat.

The scientists from CPREEC point

out that a corollary proof of suchhabitat in the past was found in

the Bhimbedka caves in Madhya

Pradesh that has 10,000-year-old

wall carvings and paintings

featuring lions and tigers

together.


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A CLOSE-UP VIEW OF BHIMBETKA CAVE

PAINTING, MADHYA PRADESH


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ZOOLOGICAL EVIDENCES - 2

JAMBHAVAN, THE TRIBAL CHIEF

WITH BEAR TOTEMWAS A CLOSEASSICIATE OF SUGREEVA AND LIVED

IN THE NEAR-BY TERRITOTY TO

KISHKINDA (THE PRESENT-DAY

HAMPI) - THE KINGDOM OF

SUGREEVA.

THE 2013 U.S. NAVY LANDSAT

IMAGE (GOOGLE EARTH PHOTO)SHOWS DAROJ BEAR SANCTUARY

TO THE S.E. OF HAMPI. IT COULD BE

THE JAMBHAVAN TERRITORY.


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HISTORICAL EVIDENCES

LINEAGE OF RAMA - 1

Rama was the 64thking of Surya Vansh.

In various Hindu scriptures, the lineage of Rama through his 63 ancestors

are traced and recorded.

Also the names his 30 Descendants are also traced and recorded.

SUCH A LONG LINEAGE IS BY ITSELF IS HISTORY &

RAMA IS A HISTORICAL FIGURE AND NOT A MYTHOLOGICAL CHARACTER.


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LINEAGE OF RAMA - 2 (63 ANCESTORS)

MANU

IKSHVAKU

VIKUKSI SASADA

KAKUTSTHA

ANENAS

PRITHU

VISHTARASVA

ARDRA YUVANASVA 1

SRAVASTA

BRIHADASA

KUVALASVA

DRADHASVA

PRAMODA

HARYASVA 1

NIKUMBA

SAMHATASVA

AKRSASVA

PRASANAJIT

YUVANASVA 2

MANDHATR

PURUKUTSA

TRASADSYU

SAMBUTA

ANARANYA

TRASADSVA

HARYASVA 2

VASUMATA

TRIDHANVAN

TRAYYARUNA

TRISHANKU

SATYAVRATA

HARISCHANDRA

ROHITA

HARITA, CANKU

VIJAYA

RURUKA

VRKA

BAHU (ASITA)

SAGARA

ASAMANJA

AMSUMANT

DILIPA 1

BHAGIRATA

SRUTA

NABHAGA

AMBARISA

SINDHUDVIPA

AGUTAYUS

RTUPARNA

SARVAKAMA

SUDSASA

MITRASAHA

ASMAKA

MULAKA

SATARATHA

AIDAVIDA

VISVASAHA 1DILIPA 2

DIRGHABAHU

RAGHU

AJA

DASARATHA


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LINEAGE OF RAMA - 3 (30 DESCENDANTS)

KUSA

ATITHI

NISHADA

NALA

NABHAS

PUNDARIKA KSEMADHANV

AN

DEVANIKA

AHINAGU

PARIPATRA

BALA

UKTHA

VAJRANABHA

SANKHAN

VYUSITASVA

VISVASAHA 2 HIRANYABHA

PUSYA

DRUVASANDHI

SUDARSANA

AGNIVARNA

SIGHRA

MARU

PARASURATA

SUSANDHI

AMARSA

MAHASHWAT

VISRUTAVANT

BRIHADBALA

BRIHATKSAYA


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References in Ancient Literatures 1.Puranas

Rama Sethu is talked about in Muni Vyas's Mahabharata at four places -- Ramopakhayan,Aaranyak Parva, Drona Parva and Dashrath Kathanak Vedavyasa refers to Nalasetu in

Mahabharata

nalasetur iti khyto yo 'dypi prathito bhuvi rmasyj purasktya dhryategirisanibhaMBh. 3.267.45

.... which even today, popular on earth as Nala's bridge, mountain-like, is sustained out ofrespect for [Lord] Rama's command. (Nala was son ofViswakarma).

Kalidasa's Raghuvamsa (sarga 13): Rama, while returning from SriLanka in pushpakavimaana: "Behold, Sita, My Sethu of mountains dividing this frothy ocean is like the milky waydividing the sky into two parts"

Skanda Purana (III.1.2.1-114), Vishnu Purana (IV.4.40-49),Agni Purana(V-XI), Brahma Purana(138.1-40) refer to the construction of Rama Setu. Skanda Purana (VI.101.1-44) describes theinstallation of three Shiva lingas at the end, middle and beginning of Rama Setu and making

the same bridge submerged and thereby creating Setu-Teertham. This is also related inKurma Purana (21.10-61). Garuda Purana (1.81.1-22) lists sacred places including Setubandh

and Rameswar.Narada Purana (Uttara Bhag 76.1-20) extols the greatness of Rama-Setu.TheVayu Puranaand theUttara Kandamentioned twoKosalas, withShravastithe capital ofUttara Kosala and Kausavatiof Dakshin Kosala or Mahakosala. The two Kosalas were oncebelieved to have been under the suzerainty of Rama, who installed his sonLava in North

Kosala and Kusa in South Kosala.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vayu_Puranahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushavatihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushavatihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushavatihttp://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2013/06/29/book-review-is-sri-rama-a-modern-deity-rohit-srivastava/Uttara%20Kandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosala_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sravastihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sravastihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushavatihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava_(Ramayana)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava_(Ramayana)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava_(Ramayana)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushavatihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sravastihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sravastihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosala_Kingdomhttp://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2013/06/29/book-review-is-sri-rama-a-modern-deity-rohit-srivastava/Uttara%20Kandahttp://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2013/06/29/book-review-is-sri-rama-a-modern-deity-rohit-srivastava/Uttara%20Kandahttp://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2013/06/29/book-review-is-sri-rama-a-modern-deity-rohit-srivastava/Uttara%20Kandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vayu_Puranahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vayu_Puranahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vayu_Purana


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SETHU REFERENCES IN ANCIENT TEXTS

There are many more texts which contain references to Setu: 1. Rigveda,

2. Krishna Yajurveda, 3. Dhanu Smruti, 4. Galavasmruti, 5. Gautama

smruti, 6. Marichi Smruti, 7. Devala Smruti, 8. Parasara Smruti, 9. Valmiki

Ramayanam, 10. Adhyatma Ramayanam, 11. Ananda ramayanam, 12.

Tulsidas Ramayanm, 13. Agneya Puranam, 14. Bhagavata Puranam, 15.

Padma Puranam, 16. Shiva Puranam, 17. Karma Puranam, 18. Skanda

Puranam, 19. Markandeya Puranam, 20. Brahmanda Puranam, 21.Matsya Puranam, 23. Deyva Ganapati, 24. Periya Puranam, 25.

Tiruppugazh, 26. Thaayumaanavar songs, 28. Dayaasatakam, 29.

Venkatadri Vishvaguna Darsam, 30. Tiruvilaiyadam Puranam, 31.

Devaiyulaa, 32. Setu Puranam. Apart from there, it is rare to find any

Bharatilla language ancient literature without reference to Setu.(Acknowledgement: Hindu Endowment Department officer,

Shri K. Sundaramurthy, IAS, Chennai, 1980).


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References in Ancient Literatures 2

Tamil Sangam Literature- (I)

1.kadunter iraaman udanpun.ar seetaiyaivalittakai arakkan vavviya jnaanr-

ainilamcer madaran.i kan.d.a kurangincemmukap perunkil.ai

izhaippolindaa anguaar-aa a varunakai yinidu per-r-ikume (Pur-anaanooru

paadal 378)When Arakkan Ravana abducted Sita who came with Rama,

the ornaments removed from her body and thrown by her to the ground,

the monkey families adorned themselves erratically with these

ornaments. People enjoyed seeing this sight.

2.venve_r- kavuniyar tonmudu ko_d.imuzhangirum pauvam iranku mun

tur-aivelpo_r iraaman arumar-aikku avittapal veezh aalam

po_lao_viyavintanr-aal iv azhunkaloore (Akanaanoor-u paadal 70)

Before Sri Rama embarked upon his journey to Sri Lanka, he sat below a

big banyan tree on the banks of the sacred Setu (tiruvan.aikkarai) and

was engrossed in conversation with his friends. The birds on the banyan

tree were chirping. Sri Rama stopped the chirping by his command.


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HISTORICAL EVIDENCESReferences in Ancient Literatures2 ;Tamil Literature- (2)

Besides above ,Rama Sethu is referred in KALITTOGAI, PARIPAADAL,TOLKAPPIYAM(Purattinaiyaiyal/Purattirattu) & MANIMEKALAI.

Ramayana and Rama Sethu are referred in later period Tamil literature

also, such as in Appar and Thirujnana Sambandar Tevarams,

Kalingattuparani, Periyashwar and Kodai Nachiyar Pasurams in Villiputtur

Mahabharathamas well as in 15th century Sethu Puranam.


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REFERENCES FROM ANCIENT LITERATURE - 3

Setubandha Kavya in Prakrit by the King Damodara Sen (5th Century).King Pravarasena II (550-600 CE) called Setu bandha or Ravanavaho,

Dasamuha Vadha"

VarahamihirasBrhatsamhita(sixth century AD) which formulates rules for

making images of Rama.

Tulsi Dass Sriramachandramanas describes the decision to construct thebridge.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Var%C4%81hamihirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Var%C4%81hamihirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Var%C4%81hamihirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Var%C4%81hamihira


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HISTORICAL EVIDENCESReferences in Ramayanas

Valmikidescribes the construction ofSethu in detail (85 shlokas).hastimaatraan mahaakaayaaH paaSaaNaamshca mahaabalaaH

parvataamshca samutpaaTya yantraiH parivahanti ca Valmiki

Ramayana 2-22-58.

Vaanara having huge bodies, with mighty strength uprooted

elephant-sized rocks and mountains and transported them bymechanical contrivances (YANTRAIH).

Kamba ramayanam in Tamil has a separate sarga calledSetubandha

padalam.Sethuis the water body in which Sri Rama purified himself

from Brammahatti dosha on his return from Lanka after killingRavana. It is located in the sea in Rameshwaram area near

sethubandhanam. Rameswaram is called: Setubandha Rameswaram.


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References in Ramayanas of Other Religions -1 Three BuddhistJatakaswhich form part of theKhuddaka-nikaya, third century

BCE, deal with the Ram story, with minor variations. The Rama story finds mention in three early Buddhist texts, Dasharatha

Kathanam (first-second century AD),Anamakam Jatakam and DasharathaJataka

The Dasarath Jataka is set in Varanasi, not Ayodhya; however, Ram gives hissandals to Bharat to rule the kingdom on his behalf.

The Nidanaof the King of Ten Luxuriesis lost, but survives in a Chinese

translation by Kekaya in 472 CE. Similarly, theAnamaka JatakaorJataka of the Unnamed Kingis preserved in

Chinese translation by Sogdian monk Kan-Seng-hui in 251 CE.

Sri Lanka has many sites associated with Ramayan. Its literary texts includeJanaki-haranaby Kumaradasa, 7th century

Even in other countries we can find versions of Ramayana, like the TibetanRamayana, Turkistan's Khotani Ramayana, Indonesia's Kakbin Ramayana,Java's Seratram, Sairiram, Ramkeling, Patani Ramkatha; Indo-China'sRamkerti (Ramkirti),Khamer Ramayana; Burma's Ramyagan of Yuto;Thailand's Ramkiyen etc all narrate the story of Ram in a picturesque way.Scholars also believe that Homer's Illiad and the Dionysia of poet Nonus ofRome have surprising similarities with our Ramayana.


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References in Ramayanas of Other Religions -2

The Jain Ramayans are in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apabhramsa, and Kannada.

The canonical second centuryAnuyogadvaralists many works, including

Ramayanam;

Vimala Suri's Pauma-chariyam, fifth century, is the earliest version,along with Vasudevahindi.

There followed Ramayan ofSvayambhuin Apabhramsa (eighth century);

MahapuranofPushpadant in Prakrit (tenth century);

Pampa Ramayan by Nagachandra (11th century); Nagachandra records a

tradition that the ancient inhabitants of Kishkinda were not monkeys buta tribe whose banner carried the insignia of a monkey.

Jina Ramayan by Chandrasagar Varni (19th century).


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OTHER HISTORICAL EVIDENCES

Chandragupta Maurya's mentor, Kautilya (Chanakya), treated Ramayanand Mahabharat as history. He incorporated the lessons learnt from thehistories of the two era in theAdhikaranachapter dealing withdiscipline, wherein the author ofArthasastraadvises shunning the vicesof lust, anger, greed, vanity, haughtiness and excessive joy, for Ravanperished because he was too vain to restore a stranger's wife;Duryodhan because he would not part with a portion of his kingdom.

The Rama cult was promoted by Madhavacharya Anandatirtha (variously placedbetween AD 1199-1278 and 1238-1317). He devoted seven chapters tothe Ramayana story in the Mahabharat Tatparya Nirnaya and brought an imageof the world-conqueringDigvijayaRama to the south.

Similarly, Narahari Tirtha, probably the same as Narasimha, is recorded in a

Telugu epigraph dated AD 1293, as having set up the image of Rama, Sita andLakshman in the Vaishnava temple near Chicacole, Ganjam district.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhwahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata_Tatparya_Nirnayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata_Tatparya_Nirnayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata_Tatparya_Nirnayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narahari_tirthahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicacolehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicacolehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicacolehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narahari_tirthahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narahari_tirthahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narahari_tirthahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata_Tatparya_Nirnayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata_Tatparya_Nirnayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata_Tatparya_Nirnayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata_Tatparya_Nirnayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata_Tatparya_Nirnayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhwahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhwahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhwa


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Moghul - Time Ramayanas

During the Mughal times, Begum Hamida Banu, wife of Humayunand the mother of Akbarprepared the Persian version of the

Ramayana as it was a historical text of her land.

Akbar prepared one more Ramayana during his times as Emperor,besides Persian version ofMahabharat, where reference to

construction of Rama Setu had been made.

These texts are richly painted and are today in various museums ofthe world.

These were not prepared as religious texts but as historical texts ofthe land they ruled.

Sri Lanka believes in the Ramayana and therefore till date has proudlyshown the coronation of Vibhishan in its parliament; Ashok Vatika hasbeen converted into a famous tourist attraction and not only that, the

Sri Lankan government is still paying pension to the descendents ofRavan.


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RAMAYANA IN SOUTHEAST ASIA - 1

The name "Rama emerges everywhere in Southeast

Asia covering two monarchies (Thailand and Cambodia),

two Communist countries (Vietnam and Laos) and one

democracy (Indonesia). Ram's travails also made their

way to China, Tibet, Mongolia, Japan, Philippines,

Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, and found

representation in various forms of arts. The walls of the

9th century Shiv temple Parambanan (Parambhram) of

Java and the 11th century Angkor Wat Temple of

Cambodia are pictorially engraved with the scenes of

Ramayana and Mahabharata. Both are UNESCO WorldHeritage Centres.

In Indonesia, the world's largest Islamic nation, Ramayana and Mahabharata are compulsory

subjects in most of the universities. The Indonesian version of Ramayana is called Kakawin

Ramayana in the old Javanese (Kawi) language. The sultan of Jogjakarta supports the daily

performance of a leather puppet show of either Ramayana or Mahabharata in his Palace

annexure. He also subsidizes the world's only daily performance of a dance ballet based on

Ramayana, performed with the Prambanan towers as its backdrop. The highlight of the

extraordinary show is that all the two hundred artistes are Muslims. We ask the leading actors

how they perform Ramayana with such ardent involvement. The spontaneous reply is: "Islam is

our religion. Ramayana is our culture."

Garuda is the national insignia of Indonesia. The predominantly Hindu territory of Bali in

Indonesia has a few thousand Hindu temples, where the strong influence of Ramayana in the

sculptures and performing arts are seen.


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RAMAYANA IN SOUTHEAST ASIA - 2 The Laosian version of Ramayana, called "Palak Palang," is the most favorite theme of the

dancers of Laos. The National School for Music and Dance, in this communist country,teaches the Ramayana ballet in the Laotian style. Several Buddhist monasteries and stupasof Laos have sculptures depicting Ramayana in stone as well as in wood panels .

There is a perceptible Hindu-Buddhist syncretism in that entire region. There are sculpturesof Rama and Krishna and other avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu in the Shiva temple at WatPhu Champasak in southern Laos, which has been declared a World Heritage Centre byUNESCO.

Ramayana is immensely popular in Thailand. Huge statues of Sugriva and other charactersfrom Ramayana decorate the courtyard of the Royal palace, surrounded by huge corridorsdepicting the whole story of Ramayana in large paintings from floor to ceiling. Ramayana

sculptures adorn the walls and balustrades of several other Buddhist temples in Thailand. In the Thai version of Ramayana called Ramakian, rediscovered and re-composed by theThai King, Rama I in the 18th Century, Hanuman is a powerful figure.

Several kings of the royal family of Thailand (including the present king) adopted the name'Rama', over the last three centuries. Before the capital was shifted to Bangkok, the capital ofThailand (then Siam) was in a place called Ayuthya (Ayodhya).

The ancient kings of Egypt are named Ramsus-1, Ramsus-2 etc. Whether this naming is alsorelated to Ramayana?

In Vietnam, a nation predominantly under the ancient Chinese influence, one can see Ramaand Krishna, although there is no local version of the Ramayana. In central Vietnam, whichwas known as the Hindu kingdom of Champa for over 1500 years, there are a large numberof Hindu temples, some of them have an unbroken tradition of worship, dating back to athousand years.


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RAMAYANA IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 3 & RUSSIA

In the war torn Cambodia, the Buddhist monarchy, which has met manytragedies in recent times, one finds that coronation of King is complete only

with the handing over of ancient gold idols of Shiva and Vishnu by therajaguru to the king.The 11th century builtAngkor Wat, an UNESCO WorldHeritage Centre, the largest stone temple for any deity in the world,has anearly 2.7 km circumambulatory passage with gigantic carvings devoted tothe epic stories of the churning of the ocean, Ramayana, Mahabharata andso on.

Russian Professor Nicolai Retih notes that Ramayana presents a unified

perspective of Indian thought.The unequalled spiritual strength of Indianpeople,their devotion to protection of their heritage,find expression in Indianthought formed over millennia, not only through art but also through theirlives.

Indo-Soviet cultural relations book notes that Rama, Sita, Lakshmana wereadored by Russians as embodiments of humanism.

The winner of Indias Nehru Prize, Ragli Abashitchev says that every Georgianfamily has a copy of the Georgian translation of Ramayana in their homes. Itis disheartening indeed that we Indians do not have even the pride thatRussians have in the Ramayana heritage.

RAMAYANA AS AN INSPIRATION 1


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RAMAYANA AS AN INSPIRATION - 1 Ramayana is popular even today not only in various parts of India, but in Sri Lanka and

other Southeast Asian countries, most ofwhich are practicing other religions such as

Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and even no-religion (communism) wheregenerations of

people are influenced continuously for centuries. Ramayana is also depicted in all formsof arts such as literature, dance, drama, music, paintings and sculptures. So this

popularity is not based on religion (Hinduism), or due to literary merit (poetry or story

telling). The sustained popularity of Ramayana in all these countries with different religious

beliefs and varied culture should be attributed to a more Strong Psychological reasoning.

Rama was an embodiment of our Sanatana Dharma and lived a life of noble

human being, a dutiful son, affectionate brother, loving husband, protector of

rishis, tribals and animals , treating all beings and human beings as equals,

compassionate towards animals and birds, valiant but considerate even with his

enemies during war etc. Only these noble qualities of Rama had inspiredall

people from different cultures and religions to revere him for centuries. NO

MYTHOLOGICAL CHARACTER, OTHER THAN AN ACTUAL MAN WHO LIVED OR IS

LIVING, CAN BE AN INSPIRATION FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE OF VARIEDRELIGIONS, LANGUAGES AND CULTURE FOR SUCH A PROLONGED PERIOD. This

fact itself will prove beyond any doubt the historicity of Rama and Ramayana.

This was amply proclaimed by the Russian Professor Nicolai Retih.

Compare this with the inspiration created by other Noble saints and sages like Jesus

Christ, Prophet Mohammad, Buddha, Mahavir, Guru Nanak as well as with men like

Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela.


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RAMAYANA AS AN INSPIRATION - 2

RAMA WAS PROBABLY THE FIRST PERSON TO UNDERTAKE PADA YATRA ALONG THE

ENTIRE LENGTH OF BHARATH FROM AYODHYA TO RAMESWARAM AND BEYOND, UNIFYING

ALL PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT CASTES AND DIFFERENT TRIBALS, NOT BY MIGHT BUT BY HISDHARMIC NATURE, LOVE AND COMPASSION AS WELL AS NOBLE QUALITIES AND VALOUR.

HE EMBRACED GUHA, THE BOATMAN AS HIS 5TH BROTHER, TRIBAL SUGRIVA AS HIS 6TH

BROTHER AND ENEMYS BROTHER VIBHISHANA AS HIS 7TH BROTHER, WHILE HE

CONSIDERED HIS DEVOTEE TRIBAL HANUMAN AS HIS DEAREST FRIEND. HE SHARED FOOD

(DRIED FRUITS AND NUTS) WITH TRIBAL SABARI AND PERFORMED THE FUNERAL RITES TO

ANOTHER TRIBAL JATAYU WHO WAS HIS FATHERS FRIEND AND WHO FOUGHT WITHRAVANA TO SAVE SITA. ALL THESE THINGS, RAMA DID NOT DO TO GARNER VOTES LIKE THE

PRESENT-DAY POLITICIANS, BUT BECAUSE OF LOVE AND COMPASSION.

RAMA WAS THUS TRULY THE FIRST NATIONALIST, AND DALIT &TRIBAL LEADER OF INDIA .

IT IS THIS UNIFICATION BY RAMA THAT PERSISTS EVEN TODAY AND OUR PRESENT

GOVERNMENT IS DOING ITS BEST TO DIVIDE THE PEOPLE INTO MORE NUMBER OF CASTES

AND OTHERS DIVISIONS, AS WELL AS TO SPLIT THIS UNIFIED COUNTRY INTO SMALLER

STATES, THUS ENDANGERING OUR UNITY WITH DIVERSITY AS WELL AS THE SECURITY OF

BHARATH.

IT SHOULD BE OUR BOUNDEN DUTY TO PROTECT OUR NATION BY UNIFYING IT ONCE

AGAIN BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR SANATANA DHARMA AND NATIONALISTIC FERVOUR.


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REFERENCES IN HISTORICAL PAINTINGS

Razmnama : illustrationto Persian translation ofMahabharatabyAkbar

(on left)

A 19th century paintingdepicting a scene from

Ramayana, whereinmonkeys are shownbuilding a bridge to

Lanka

(on right)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lankahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Monkeys_and_Bears_Build_a_Bridge_to_Lanka.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vanaras_help_Rama_build_a_bridge.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lankahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akbarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata


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The ape-army building the bridge.

Illustration by

Balasaheb Pandit Pant Pratinidhifrom

a 1916 edition of the Ramayana

epic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhawanrao_Shriniwasrao_Pant_Pratinidhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Building_a_Bridge_to_Sri_Lanka.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhawanrao_Shriniwasrao_Pant_Pratinidhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhawanrao_Shriniwasrao_Pant_Pratinidhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhawanrao_Shriniwasrao_Pant_Pratinidhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhawanrao_Shriniwasrao_Pant_Pratinidhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhawanrao_Shriniwasrao_Pant_Pratinidhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhawanrao_Shriniwasrao_Pant_Pratinidhi


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Paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, Gond Ram Katha by the tribals drawn from

Madhya Pradesh,Madhubani paintings, Stone Age sculptures of 2nd

century BC, Patta Chitra by artistes of Odisha and paintings from various

South East Asian countries were on display at the Ramayan exhibition

organised by the CPRF at Chennai in early 2013.


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Other Records, Travellogues etc

Glossary entry: Adam. Called the bridge of Rama It really joined Ceylonto India until 1480, when a breach was made through rocks during a storm.

A subsequent storm enlarged this and foot traffic then ceasedPartly aboveand partly below water; but when covered has now here above three or four

feet of water

Source:Manual of the Administration of the Madras Presidency./C.D.Maclean (1903). New Delhi, AES, 3 Vols., 2440 p., Contents: Vol. 1:

Chapters 1-9 Containing: The Principal Articles of the Manual Arranged soas to Conform to the Order of Subjects in the Yearly Presidency

Administration Report. Vol. 2: Appendices Containing: Articles andStatements, Supplementary of the Articles in Vol. 1 Arranged Under

General Heads. Vol. 3: Glossary of the Madras Presidency: A Classificationof Terminology, a Gazetteer and Economic Dictionary of the Province and

Other Information, the Whole Arranged Alphabetically and Indexed.Travelogue

A book by Alexander Hamilton, 1744, A New Account of the East Indies:Giving an Exact and Copious Description of the Situation, P. 338 describes his

visit to zeloan (alt. spelling for Ceylon) by walking on the bridge.



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References In Other Records & Publications

Research report

Asiatic Society, 1799, Asiatick

Researches: Or, Transactions of the

Society Instituted in Bengal, P. 52

refers to thebridge called Setband

(alt. spelling, setuband like

Allahband; setu-bandha), broken in 3

places. It also notes The people call

it a bridge; or otherwise it appears to

have wood growing on it, and to be

inhabited.


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References in Other records & Publications

Books of Roads & Kingdomsby Iben Khordadbeh (ca.850 CE) refers SetBhandaiorBridge of the Sea.

In the bookThe travels of MARCO POLO, the Venetian (1854),AdamsBridge Area is calledRamarBridge.

In The Ramanathapuram District Gazetteer published by the Governmentof Tamil Nadu in 1972, Mu. Karunanidhi, the then Chief Ministerwrites aforeword and praises the contents as the most valuable and important

document for the general public.

The book refers to Rama Setu(as also calledAdams bridge orNala Setu).

The Rajas of Ramanathapuram are traditionally called sethupathis Protectors and Guardians of Sethu / Rama sethu.


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REFERENCES IN HISTORICAL MAPS

(FROM PURANIC TIMES TO PRESENT-DAY)

O S CS


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INDIA OF THE VEDAS AND EPICS

India of the Vedas and the Epicshttp://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=050 Schwartzberg Atlas, v. ,p. 13.
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=050http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=050


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PURANIC INDIASchwartzbergs Atlas-p.27- The Historical Atlas of South Asia,

The university of Chicago Press, 1978

Rama Setu is shown as Setuka


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MAP DURING ASHOKAN EMPIRE(321 181 BC)

Schwartzbergs Atlas

In an Ajanta painting the

scene of landing of King

Vijay in Ceylon in about

3rd century BC has beendepicted along with

elephants, horses and foot

soldiers which obviously

was possible

only if land route was usedfor travelling from

Rameswaram to Sri Lanka.


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MAP OF SATAVAHAN-SAK-KUSHAN AGE (1-100AD)

(Schwartzbergs Atlas)

Rama Setu used as

land route to Lanka


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MAP DURING RASHTRAKUTA EMPIRE (700-955-AD)

Schwartzbergs Atlas

Land route to

Lanka via Rama

Setu.


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Islamic expansion and changing Western views of

South Asia, 7th-12th centuries (Al-Birunis record)

Schwartzberg Atlas, v. , p. 33.

R li i d l l i 8 h 12 h i


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Religious and cultural sites, 8th-12th centuries -

Schwartzberg Atlas, p. 34.

SETU is clearly depicted with Adams Bridge only in brackets.


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MAP DURING THE REGIMES OF KHALJIS &

TUGHLUQSCE 1290 - 1390

Map drawn by Joseph Banks Australian Botanical


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Map drawn by Joseph Banks, Australian Botanical

explorer (1788) with J.Rennell shows Ramar Bridge

(Map in Sarasvati Mahal Libraray, Thanjavur),


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1804 MAP OF JAMES RENNEL,

THE FIRST SURVEYOR GENERAL OF INDIA

In this map, RAMA SETU is

marked as ADAMs BRIDGE.

In an earlier map prepared by

him with the help of SirJoseph Banks in 1788,

however, Rama Setu has been

marked as Ramas Bridge. It

is this change that has

brought all the later

controversies.


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Malabar Bowen map (1747) drawn by Netherlands

shows Ramarcoil I (that is, Rama temple).


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LOGO OF SURVEY OF INDIA

THE LOGO DEPICTS THE EXTENT OFINDIA TO BE FROM

SETHU TO HIMACHALAM

(RAMA SETHU TO HIMALAYAS)

SINCE 1767

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES


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From Excavations

Excavations in the raised Teri

Sand Formations in TirunelvaliDistrict, Tamil Nadu(Adhitchanallur) had shown arich assemblage of mesolithic-microlithic tools indicating thepresence of strong Humanhabitation and activity during

9000 to 8000 BP.

On the Sri Lankan side, there areindications ofHumanhabitations extending to LatePleistocene (BCE 13,000), basedon fossils of bones of human andanimal forms.

All these point to flourishingHuman activity on both sides ofRama Sethu during the periodof Ramayana.


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ARCHAEOLOGICALEVIDENCES

Historical Inscriptions on Pillars & Copper Plates

The 249 BC ASHOKA PILLAR Inscription atLumbini describes the visit of both RAMA andBUDDHA to Lumbini.

Aparajitavarman Copper Plate

LHernault F. 1978. LIconographie deSubrahmanya au Tamilnad, Institut Francais d

Indologie. Pondichery, p.111, ph. 63.) Thecopper plates indicate that Aparajitavarman

went to Setutirtha.

Parantaka Chola copper plate (10th cent.)

(Nagaswamy R. 1979. Thiruttani and VelanjeriCopper Plates. State Dept. Of Archaeology,

Tamilnadu. Madras.


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Historical Inscriptions (Krishnadevaraya-1508AD)



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13 th Century Aryachakravarthy SETU Coins

of Jaffna

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cd/Coin_Setu_Bull_Rev_a.jpghttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Setu_I_Rev.jpg


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Ancient Coins (16th to 17th Centuries)Setupati coinage, 16th and 17th century Obverse: Sri Ganapati, seated.Reverse, in

Tamil, Se-Tu-Pa-(Ti missing). Tamil script.


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Ancient Coins & Seals

Kushan emperor Kanishka had an engraving of the wind-god Hanuman

on his regime's seal.

Emperor Akbar had also similarly depicted Ram-Sita on one of his golden

guineas.

Scenes from Ramayana have been sketched in the Safdarjang Madarsa of

Delhi.

Central India's Dhar and Ratlam principalities had engraved Hanuman on

their seals.

Brass guineas introduced by the Sant regime also had the etchings ofRam and his three brothers, as well as Sita and Hanuman.



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Temple Sculptures - 1

Numerous Temples in India built in the Historical past by kings of

different dynasties are dedicated to Lord Rama.

Paintings and sculptures of Ramayana events abound in many temples

not only in India , also in many SE Asian countries. One such sculpture

in India is from theGupta Period 5th 6th

Century A.D.



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Temple Sculptures - 2

Numerous Temples in India built in the Historical past by kings ofdifferent dynasties are dedicated to Lord Rama.

Paintings and sculptures of Ramayana events abound in many temples

not only in India , also in many SE Asian countries. One such temple is

the PRAMBANAN (Brahmavana) Temple, Java, Indonesia 9th

Century A.D.

Archaeological evidences


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g

Prambanan Temple Sculptures (9-10thCenturies CE)

Devi Sita talking to Sri Hanuman

Vaanara Sena carrying stones, in their arms andon their heads, to build Rama Setu, followed by Sri

Rama, carrying a sword.

Fish and other sea creatures handling stones fromRama's bridge to Lanka, during the construction of

Nala Setu (Rama Setu).

Source:http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/2616

h l l d


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Archaeological evidences

Prambanan Temple Sculptures (9-10thCenturies CE)Note Rama, Lakshmana & Vibhishana marching with vanaras

after victory over Ravana

Archaeological evidences Terracotta Depictions &

l


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Sculptures - 1

The Kausambhi (UP, India) Terracotta depicton from Ramayana(1st to 2nd Century BCE),Showing Sita throwing her ornaments

while being abducted by Ravana (as described in ValmikiRamayanaAranya Kand;54th Sarga; Sloka 2& 3)

Los Angeles County Museum has a terracotta sculpture of Ramfrom Nachara Khera, Haryana, with an inscription saying"Ram,' in Brahmi script of the third century CE.

Gupta period stone panel from Mathura shows Ravana shakingMount Kailasa, a scene from the Uttara Kanda.

A Gupta period brick temple at Bhitargaon, Kanpur (fifthcentury AD) has several terracotta panels, one of which depictsRama and Lakshman seated and engaged in conversation.

M. Zaheer, in his book on the Bhitargaon temple, mentions twoterracotta reliefs showing scenes from the Ramayana: one awoman offering alms to a giant man, clearly Ravana in disguise;while the other depicts a seated Rama and Sita.

Archaeological evidences Terracotta Depictions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathurahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhitargaonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhitargaonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathura


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& Sculptures - 2 Hundreds of terracotta based on the Ramayana have been found from

Sirma, Haat, Nacharkheda ofHisar; Jind, and Santhai (Yamuna Nagar)

of Haryana; Koshanbhi (Allahabad), Aahichatra (Bareilly), andKatinghar (Etah) of Uttar Pradesh and Bhadra (Shriganganagar) ofRajasthan. They depict the major events of Ram's exile, mainly Ram,Sita and Lakshman's Panchvati gaman; Maareech Mrugh (golden deer);the dialogue of Tirshira with Khar-Dushan; the execution of 14 demonsby Ram; Sita-haran by Ravan; Sughreev sighting Sita throwing down

her ornaments from Pushpak (Ravan's plane); Sughreev welcomingRam to his abode; Sughreev-Bali combat; Ram's assassination of Bali;Hanuman burning Ashok Vatika; Trishira Rakshas's killing; Indrajeet,the son of Ravan, going to war, etc. Some ofthe terracotta have theverses of Valmiki Ramayana written in the script of pre-Gupta age.They can be seen in the archaeological museum of Gurukul Jhajjar(Haryana). Apart from these, hundreds of terracotta can be seen indifferent museums of India as well as in the British Museum ofLondon.


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RAMAYANA MYTHOLOGY OR HISTORY - 2

GEO-SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCES FOR THE HISTORICITY OFRAMAYANA

FACTS & EVIDENCES

COMPILED AND PRESENTEDBy

K.Gopalakrishnan,

Director (Retired), Geological Survey,

Government of India

(THE FULL PPT COVERS FACTS AND EVIDENCES FROM A WIDERANGE OF TOPICS. BUT HERE ONLY GEO-SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCES

ARE PRESENTED AS PART-2). INTERESTED PERSONS MAY

CONTACT AUTHOR FOR THE OTHER DETAILS.

FACTS & EVIDENCES -1


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FACTS & EVIDENCES 1

1. COMMON SENSE REASONS.

2. AGE OF RAMAYANA

A. FROM HINDU COSMIC TIME SCALE(i) As per Yuga Cycles

(ii) As per Vishnu Purana

(iii) As per Manu Samhita

(iv) As per Srimad Bhagavatham

(v) As per Swami Yukteshwar Giri B. ASTRONOMICAL EVIDENCES

(i) By Vedic Astronomyby Dr. P.V.Vartak

(ii) By Modern Astronomy by Pushkar Bhatnagar

C. SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCES

(i) Sea Level Changes(ii) Anthropological Evidencesof Early mans Migration

(iii) Botanical evidences

(iv) Zoological evidences

FACTS & EVIDENCES - 2


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3. HISTORICAL EVIDENCES

A. Lineage of Rama

(i) Ramas Ancestors (ii) Ramas Descendants

B. References in Ancient Literature(i) Puranas

(ii) Tamil Sangam Literatures

(iii) Other 5th 6th Century Literatures

(iv) References Later Ramayanas in Other Languages

(v) Moghul Time Ramayana and Mahabharata

C. HISTORICAL PAINTINGS D. OLDER RECORDS AND TRAVELLOGUES

E. REFERENCES IN HISTORICAL MAPS FROM PURANIC TIMES TO PRESENT-DAY

F. LOGO OF SURVEY OF INDIA

4. ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES

A. From Excavations

B. Inscriptions on Pillars, Plaques and Copper Plates

C. References in Ancient Coinages

D. References in Ancient Temple Sculptures

E. Terracotta Depictions & Sculptures

FACTS & EVIDENCES - 3


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5. GEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCES

A. Ramas Trip with Maharishi VISHWAMITRA

B. Ramas route during Vanavas and to Sri Lanka

6. GEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCES FROM TAMIL NADU

7. GEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES FROM TAMIL NADU

8. GEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES FROM SRI LANKA

9. GEOTECTONIC EVIDENCES

A. (i)From the present-Day Active zone in South Pacific to the Present-Day

apparently Inactive Rama Sethu Zone (ii) Rise of hill from mid-ocean in response to horst-graben tectonics along

both coasts

B. ValmikisDescription of the above site with Ramas arrow piercing theocean & seismic, volcanic and tsunami activities in the ocean

C. Drying up of ocean in the far away north at Markandara by RamasBrahmaastra the present day Thaar desert in Rajasthan with trillions oftons of rock salt below the sands.

10. EVIDENCE FROM BOREHOLES IN RAMA SETHU AREA

GEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCES 1


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(Initial Trip with Sage Viswamitra)

Rama went out of Ayodhya in his childhood (13th Year)along with RishiViswamitra and returned after marrying Sita.

The places visited by Rama during this phase of his life are described in

Valmiki Ramayana

23 of these places are traced on ground today which have memorials for

Rama ,commemorating the events connected. Some of these includeShringi Ashram, Tadka Van, Siddhashram, Gautam Ashram, Janakpur (now

in Nepal), Sita Kund etc.

GEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCES -2


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(During Vanavas)

Rama went out of Ayodhya again on exile for 14 years in his adulthood

(25th Year)along with Sita and Lakshmana

The places visited by Rama during this phase of his exile are described in

Valmiki Ramayana.

The route taken by Rama from Ayodhya to Lanka had been traced on

ground. 195 places along this route are recognised on ground today (by

Sri. Ram Avtar) which have memorials for Rama ,commemorating theevents connected.

Sri Lanka also has relics of the Ramayana. There are several caves, such as

Ravana Ella Falls, where Ravana is believed to have hidden Sita to prevent

Rama from finding her. The Sitai Amman Temple at Numara Eliya is

situated near the Ashokavana where Ravana once kept her prisoner.

GEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCES - 3


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RAMAS ROUTE TO LANKA

Rama, Lakshmana and Sita left Ayodhya and went to Sringaverapura -modern Sringverpur in Uttar Pradesh - where they crossed the River Ganga.

They lived on Chitrakoot hill where Bharata and Shatrughna met them and thebrothers performed the last rites for their father. Thereafter, the threewandered through Dandakaranya in Central India, described as a land ofRakshasas, obviously tribes inimical to the brothers' habitation of their land.Tribals are still found in these forests.

The trio reached Nasik, on the River Godavari, which has sites such as

Tapovan where they lived, Ramkund where Rama and Sita used to bathe,Lakshmankund, Lakshmana's bathing area, and several caves in the areaassociated with their lives in the forest.

Rama then moved to Panchavatiwhere Ravana abducted Sita. The dyingJatayu told them of the abduction, so they left in search of Sita. Kishkinda,near Hampi, where Rama first met Sugriva and Hanuman, is a major

Ramayana site. Anjanadri, near Hospet, was the birthplace of Hanuman(Anjaneya); Sugriva lived in Rishyamukha on the banks ofthe Pampa(Tungabhadra); Sabari probably also lived in a hermitage there. Rama and theVanara army left Kishkinda to reach Rameshwaram, where the Vanaras built abridge to Lanka from Dhanushkodi to Talaimannar in Sri Lanka.

RAMAYANA SITES AT PANCHAVATI, NASHIK


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,

TAPOVANWHERE RAMA, SITA AND LAKSHMAN LIVED

WHILE AT PANCHAVATI, NASHIK CAN BE SEEN AMIDST

TREES IN THE CENTRE OF THE RIGHT PICTURE.

Godavari River, Ramghat, Nashik

KISHKINDA (HAMPI) & ITS ENVIRONS FROM U.S. NAVY


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LANDSAT (GOOGLE) IMAGES - 2013

THE PRESENT-DAY HAMPI IS THE SITE OF KISHKINDA OF RAMAYANA. NOTE

ANJANAHALLI (BIRTH-PLACE OF HANUMAN; RISHIMUKHPLACE (WHERE SUGREEVA

AND HANUMAN LIVED IN EXILE); ALSO NOTE THE SUGREEVA CAVE.IN THE TOP RIGHTSIDE PHOTO, THE BEAR SANTUARY AT DAROJ CAN BE SEEN. IS IT

THE TERRITORY OF JAMBAVAN, THE TRIBAL CHIEF WITH BEAR TOTEM, AND A CLOSE

FRIEND OF SUGREEVA AND HANUMAN?

GEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCES OF RAMAYANA IN

SRI LANKA


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SRI LANKA According to the Ramayana, Ravana abducted Sita to Sri Lanka in a flying machine

called Pushpaka Vimanam by the Hindus and Dandu Monara Yanthraya by

the Sinhalese Buddhists.

Detailed documents prepared by the Sri Lankan Tourism Ministry said the

Pushpaka Vimanam could have landed at Werangatota, about 10 km from

Mahiyangana, east of the hill station ofNuwara Eliya in central Sri Lanka.

Sita was then taken to Goorulupota, now known as Sitakotuwa, where Ravanas

wife Mandodari lived. Seetakotuwa is about 10 km from Mahiyangana on the roadto Kandy.

Since Ravana was a Brahmin, it was considered a sin to kill him, even in battle. To

wash off the sin, Rama prayed at the Munneswaram temple in Chilaw, 80 km

north of Colombo.

The documents state that at the Buddha Vihara at Kelani, near Colombo, there is a

representation of Rama handing over the captured Sri Lanka to Ravanas brotherVibheeshana, who sided with him in his conflict with Ravana.

Ramayana is Popular in all S.E.Asian countries


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y p

GEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCES OF RAMAYANA IN

SRI LANKA FROM GOOGLE MAP


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SRI LANKA FROM GOOGLE MAPSita was housed in a cave at Sita

Eliya on a highway that links

Colombo with Nuwara Eliya,

another exotic hill station.

A temple dedicated to her exists

there. According to the document,

Sita is believed to have taken bath in

the mountain stream flowing beside

the temple. Note the vegetation /forest to west of Nuwara Eliya. It is

distinctly different from the

surrounding forests. Is it Ashoka

vanam / Ashoka vatika?

At Rumassala also in the tea-

growing central highlands, it isbelieved Hanuman dropped the

Dronagiri mountain, which he

brought from the Himalayas. Is it

the Sanjeevani Bath Kadaya?

North of Nuwara Eliya, in Matale district, is

Yudhaganapitiya, where the Rama-Ravana

battle took place. If so, location of nearby

Sanjeevani Parvath appears to be correct.According to a Sinhalese legend, Dunuwila is

the place from where Rama shot the

Bramshira arrow (Brahmastra) that killed

Ravana.Ravana was making battle plans in a placecalled Lakgala when the killer arrow struck him.

GEOGRAPHICAL EVIDENCES ON INDONESIA


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The verse 'Yatanvanto yavdweepam ______

shishiro naam parvat' (Valmiki Ramayanam;

Kiskindha Khand, Sarg 40, Verse 30-31)

explains that Sughreev had advised theleaders in his army to visit the eastern

frontiers, in search of Sita, to go to Yavadwipa

(Java) -- the conglomeration of seven

kingdoms, and from there to visit Swarnadeep

(Sumatra) and after Sumatra to visit Shishir

mountain (New Guinea) inhabited by gods

and demons, which kisses the sky with its

summit'. Such detailed geographical

knowledge of far away islands can not emerge

from the imagination of poet.

The most important event took place in the history of Indonesia. In November 1949, the Dutch government agreed

to give independence and sovereignty to the Indonesian Islands, except Erian (New Guinea). The Indonesian public

launched an agitation, asking also for the inclusion of New Guinea, but the Dutch government asked for anyirrefutable proof to prove that New Guinea was an integral part of Indonesia.

Then the people of Indonesia, who have a tradition of reciting the Valmiki Ramayana ,quoted above verse of

Sugreevs describing the continuity of Indonesia comprising Java, Sumatra and New Guinea as their evidence.

After reading this ancient irrefutable evidence, the Dutch handed over New Guinea also to Indonesia. New history

was created in Indonesia just because of the Ramayana.

BATHYMETRIC MAP

Palk Bay Gulf of Mannar Region


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Palk Bay Gulf of Mannar Region

Shallow, Muddy and sediment

laden Palk Bay.

Deep and Clear Gulf of Mannar.

Rama Sethu separates these two

contrasting seas.

South of Rama Sethu, there is

sudden and steep fall in

Bathymetric contours, indicating

steep cliff-like feature of Rama

Sethu area on the gulf side.

Occurrence ofCoral Reefs only on

Gulf of Mannar side on both Indian

and Sri Lankan coasts.

Occurrence ofHeavy Mineral Sandsincluding

monazite, sillimanite, ilmenite, garnet, rutile

etc. only on the gulf of Mannar side indicating

availability ofsuitable Ocean Currents for their

concentration and deposition.

GEOMORPHOLOGICAL EVIDENCES FROM TAMIL NADU &

SRI LANKA FROM GOOGLE PHOTOS


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SRI LANKA FROM GOOGLE PHOTOS

NOTE MAHENRAGIRI AT THE EDGE OF FORESTS AND HILLS, RED TERI SANDS ON

THE TAMIL NADU COAST AND LAGOONS AND MARSHES ON WEST COAST OF

SRI LANKA. NOTE THE SUDDEN DEEPENING OF OCEAN FLOOR IN GULF OF

MANNAR, IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF RAMA SETHU.SEE THE CORAL ISLANDSARE RESTRICTED TO THE GULF OF MANNAR SIDE

SOUTH OF RAMA SETHU.

IN THE GULF OF MANNAR SOME POINTS APPEAR TO BE LIKE THE PEAKS OF

SUMERGED VOLCANOES.

GOOGLE PHOTO RAMA SETHU & CORAL ISLANDS


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NOTE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FORCE OF OCEAN CURRENTS ALONG PAMBAN CHANNEL AND OVER RAMA

SETHU. SUDDEN DEEPENING OF OCEAN IS SEEN IN THE SOUTH. SEE THE DEEPENINGOF OCEAN IN GULF OF

MANNAR. CORAL ISLANDS ARE RESTRICTED TO GULF OF MANNAR.

Geographical Significance of

R S th Ad B id F t


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Rama SethuAdams Bridge Feature

It rises as a Very Steep Wall-like Feature rising from the Gulf of Mannar

It is a Strait during monsoon, joining two seas - Palk Bay and Gulf ofMannar

It is an Isthmus connecting two land masses Rameswaram and ThalaiMannar islands under the sea.

It is a unique curvilinear feature.

It is nearly 17 Lakhs years old.

It is a Barrier Zone that separates two contrasting seas, the shallow andmuddy Palk Bay in the north, and the deeper and clear Gulf of Mannar in thesouth. It helps the preservation of many biota. The barrier zone also helps inthe generation and deposition of Heavy Mineral deposits.

It is a Protection Zone against Tsunami impacts.

Due to these reasons, Rama Sethu can be declared as anInternational Geographical Heritage Site and

protected.

SATELLITE IMAGE OF RAMA SETHU 1 (BY NASA)


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Space images taken by NASA in 2002 reveal

a mysterious ancient bridge in the Palk Strait

between India and Sri Lanka. The bridge

named as Adam&laqno;s Bridge is made ofchain of shoals, c.18 mi (30 km) long.

The bridge&laqno;s unique curvature and

composition by age reveals that it is Man

Made. The legends as well as Archeological

studies reveal that the first signs of human

inhabitants in Sri Lanka date back to the a

primitive age, about 1,750,000 years ago

and the bridge&laqno;s age is also almost

equivalent.

Later, NASA distanced itself from the claims

saying that what had been captured was

nothing more than a 30 km long , naturally

occurring chain of sand islands. Remotesensing images or photographs from orbits

cannot provide direct information about

the origin or age of a chain of islands, and

certainly cannot determine whether

humans were involved in producing any of

the patterns seen.

NOTE RAMA SETHU IS MARKED AS RAMAS BRIDGE VERY CLEARLY

IN THE ABOVE GOOGLE IMAGE OF US NAVYS LANDSAT, 2013.

SATELLITE IMAGE OF RAMA SETHU 2


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ISRO PICTURE

Government in March, 2007 stated

in Parliamentthat there are noarchaeological studies that reveal

the existence of a Ram Setu bridge

between India and Sri Lanka.

However, NASA and ISRO satellite pictures

show the existence of a stretch of land

bridge in the Palk Strait between thecountries

The book Images India by NRSA,

Dept. of Space, states that Satellite

Images reveal an ancient bridge

between India and Sri Lanka in Palk

Straights and archaeological Studies

haverevealed the bridge to date backto about 1,75,000 years. Its Structure

suggests that it may beMan-made.

(This book is tabled in Parliament in

December,2007)

US NAVY LANDSAT (GOOGLE EARTH) IMAGE OF


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RAMA SETHU - 2013

NOTE RAMA SETHU IS MARKED AS RAMAS BRIDGE VERY CLEARLY IN THIS GOOGLE IMAGE.

GEOGRAPHICAL & GEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES FROM TAMIL NADU


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AYOMUKHA PARVATHS IRON ORE BEARING HILLS AREKANJAMALAI, SE OF SALEM AND

NAINARMALAINORTH OF NAMAKKAL. FROM THE PEAKS OF THESE HILLS THE PLACID

FLOWING CAUVERY CAN BE SEEN

SUCH SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE HILLS AND THE PRECISE

NATURE OF THE RIVER CAN NOT COME FROM THE IMAGINATION OF A POET LIVING IN

AYODHYA.

VALMIKI SPEEKS THROUGH SUGREEVA

(ARANYA KANDAM; SARGAM- ; SLOKAMS-

) ASKING HANUMAN AND OTHERS TO

SEARCH FOR SITA TOWADRS SOUTH. HE

MENTIONS ABOUT THE AREA WHERE

CAUVERY RIVER FLOWS PLACIDLY AND

WHICH COULD BE SEEN FROM AYOMUKHA

PARVATHA.

FROM KARNATAKA, UPTO SOME KM

DOWN-STREAM OF METTUR, THE CAUVERYRIVER FLOWS ALONG HILLS WITH SO MANY

WATERFALLS AND RAPIDS AS AT

SIVASAMUDRAM AND HOGENAKKAL. ONLY

FROM NORTH OF BHAVANI TOWN, THE

RIVER FOWS ALONG THE PLAINS IN A

PLACID MANNER.

GEOGRAPHICAL & GEOLOGICAL EVIDENCES


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IN RAMAS&VANARAS ROUTE ACROSS TAMIL NADUCAUVERY RIVER FLOWING IN A VERY PLACID MANNER WHEN

VIEWED FROM AYAMUKHA PARVATHA (Valmiki).

Cauvery flows placidly only from Bhavani through Erode and furthereastwards.

Ayomykha parvatha - IRON ORE-BEARING KANJAMALAI & NAINARMALAIHILLS, SOUTH OF SALEM, TN.

CROSSING TAMBRAPARANI RIVER, CLIMBING AGASTHIYA MALAI (PODIGAIMALAI).

MOVING TO MAHENDRAGIRI HILL (PRESENT DAY HILLS WEST OFTIRUKKURANGUDI.

OCEAN WAVES LASHING AT THE FOOT HILLS OF MAHENDRA GIRI &OCCURRENCE OF MARINE LIMESTONE OF 10,000 YRS. AGE AT THE FOOT

HILLS. THE PRESENT COAST IS FAR AWAY TO THE EAST.

MOVING TO PLACES LIKE TIRUPPULLANI, GANDHAMANA PARVATHAM,

RAMESWARAM.FLOATING STONE IN CONSTRUCTION OF RAMASETHU & OCCURRENCE OF

CORALS AND PUMICE IN THE NEIBOURHOOD.

Geo-tectonism and Plate Tectonics


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.Tectonism means Movements

(Activities) within Earth.

These Tectonic Movements arecaused by Convection

Currents generated in the

centre of Earth which move

outward to break the earth

into a number of Tectonic

Plates along some DivergentBoundaries known as Mid-

Ocean Ridges.

The convection currents drag the

tectonic plates along with

them. The currents again go

back into the earth along someConvergent Boundaries

known as Subduction Zones

with the dragged tectonic

plates of earth

1. Both the Divergent (Mid-

Ocean Ridges) and the

Convergent (Subduction

Zones) boundaries are

characterised by Seismic

Activities (Earthquakes) andVolcanic Eruptions.

GEOTECTONIC EVIDENCES


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These activities within the Earth will be manifested

differently on Surface1. As Faults Planes along which blocks of Earth will

move vertically or horizontally or obliquely producing

Uplifts and Subsidences.

2. As Sciesmic Activities producing Earthquakes.

3. As Volcanic Activities producing Vocanic Eruptions.

4. As Disturbances in Oceans producing Tsunamies.

AN AMAZING & EXCITING SPECTACLE- 1


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AN AMAZING & EXCITING SPECTACLE 1

A yacht was traveling

in the south Pacific

when the crew came

across a weird sight.Look at

these photos and try

to imagine the thrill

of experiencing this

phenomenon.A BEACH?


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AN AMAZING & EXCITING SPECTACLE -2XCITING

SPECTACLE - 2

NO!!!!

This is not a

beach


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AN AMAZING & EXCITING SPECTACLE -3

It is volcanicstones(Pumice)

floating on

the water.


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AN AMAZING & EXCITING SPECTACLE -4

WHERE IS THE

VOLCANO?


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AN AMAZING & EXCITING SPECTACLE - 5

UNBELIEVEABLE

SITE SO TAKE

PICTURES. NO ONE

WOULD BELIEVE IT


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THE WAKE

OF SHIP


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AN AMAZING EXCITING SPECTACLE -7

Then this was

spotted,

ash & steam rising

from the ocean..


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THEN

THE SKY TURNS

BLACK WITH

ASH AND

THE OCEAN GOLD

WITH SUNS

REFLECTION


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AN AMAZING & EXCITING SPECTACLE M- 10

OUT OF THEOCEAN

MOUNTAIN PEAKS

ARISE?


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MORE ERUPTIONS

ASH AND

CLOUDS


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THE MOUNTAINPEAKS RISE HIGHER

WITHIN MINUTES


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CREATION OF

MOUNTAINS&

A brand new island

formed...

CREATION OF A NEW VOLCANIC ISLAND


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WEST OF TONGO

Volcanic eruption & formation ofnew Island was sighted by yacht

Maiken during August, 2006near Home Reef, west of TONGAbetween Vavau islands and Fiji.

IT IS PROBABLY DUE TOSUBDUCTIONOF PACIFIC PLATE

ALONGTONGA TRENCH

NOTE THE SERIES OF DEPRESSIONS(TROUGHS) & RIDGES (RISES) IN THE

ENTIRE AREA TO WEST.

Now compare this with our Tamil NaduCoast

TECTONIC PLATES OF THE WORLD


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SHOWING

Documents

Ramayana, Geo-scientific Evidences (K. Gopalakrishnan, Aug. 26, 2013)