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Ramayan is a true life story

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Ramayan is a true life story


25 September 2013




T330_22897_Ramayan-era-plants-bear-wit.gif


People who belittle Ramayan as a mythology or a mere epic and Lord Ram as a fictitious character should be ready to give up their skepticism. Two Chennai-based botanists have come out with a three-year-long study which establishes that the Ramayan is a true life story authored by Valmiki, incorporating facts, figures, science and environment of the period.



All 182 plants (including flowers, trees, fruits) mentioned in the Ramayan have been found to be true. M Amrithalingam and P Sudhakar, the two botanists working with the CPR Environmental Education Centre, Chennai, said they could confirm the existence of the flora and fauna mentioned by Valmiki in the Ramayan.


“We tracked the route travelled by Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman from Ayodhya in the north to south as part of their exile to the forest for 14 years. To our surprise, we could identify all the plant species in the Ramayan mentioned by Valmiki along this route,” Amrithalingam told The Pioneer. As a taxonomist, Sudhakar confirmed the plant variety with their Sanskrit and Latin names.


The duo commenced their journey from Ayodhya and reached Chitrakuta’s tropical and deciduous forest. “Valmiki knew his flora, fauna and the geography. What we found was that the same flora and fauna existed in the same places as written in the epic,” pointed out Nanditha Krishna, director, CPREEC, who supervised the project.


According to Krishna, the Ramayan is geographically very correct. “All sites in their route are still identifiable and has continuing traditions . It is not possible for a person to just write something out of his imagination and fit it into local folklore for greater credibility. Valmiki has not erred anywhere while specifying the plant species, flowers and wild animals,” she said.


Sudhakar pointed out that in the Ramayan, Ram, Sita and Lakshman were warned to be cautious while they entered Dandakaranya forests. “This forest had lions and tigers. Now there are no lions in the area. This is because they were killed by poachers over the centuries. But the rocks in the famous Bhimbetka has prehistoric paintings of lion and tigers together which confirm Valmiki’s observation,” he said.


Amrithalingam and Sudhakar journeyed from Dandakaranya to Panchavati and Kishkinda. “We found that Kishkinda has a dry and moist climate which synchronises with what Valmiki has authored,” said Amrithalingam.


Chitrakuta and Dandakaranya regions mentioned in the epic are spread across the modern day Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, according to Krishna. Panchavati, from where Sita was abducted by Ravan, is situated on the banks of River Godavari on modern Maharashtra. “Diverse types of animal and bird species of this region have been mentioned by Valmiki. These include hamsa (swan), karandava (coot), kraunca(pond heron), Mayura (peacock) and sarasa (crane). These are all visible in the region even today,” said Krishna.


Lord Ram in his conversation with Sita and Lakshman speaks about the significance of plants and trees which they come across during their journey. “Even today we have Sthala Vriksha (trees associated with each location) and plants which are worshipped. Tulsi, banyan, punnaga are some examples to substantiate the theory that Ramayana is not just a story but a chronicle,' said Krishna.


The research took them to Sri Lanka where too they found the flora and fauna which are all mentioned in the Ramayan. Ravan’s botanical garden was known as Ashoka Vana because of the presence of Ashoka trees. “The evergreen Ashoka Vana could be described as a garden where nature is portrayed in all its glory,” said Amrithalingam.


According to Krishna, Valmiki knew what he was writing about. “Unless he was thorough about the topography, geography and ecology of the region, he could not have provided such sharp and precise observation of the time, place and location,” she said. The findings of Amrithalingam and Sudhakar has been published in the format of a book titled Plant and Animal Diversity in Valmiki's Ramayan.

Ramayan-era plants bear witness to vanvas route
 
So if a fiction is written, the plot revolving around actual places/zoos/botanical gardens, is it supposed to be real?
 
ராமாயணம், மஹாபாரதம் எல்லாம் உண்மையா சோ அ&#2997

ராமாயணம், மஹாபாரதம் எல்லாம் உண்மையா சோ அவர்கள் விளக்கம்..

கேள்வி : இந்த ராமாயணம், மஹாபாரதம் எல்லாம் உண்மையாகவே நடந்தனவா? எல்லாம் வெறும் கற்பனைதானே?


சோ அவர்கள் பதில் : கற்பனை என்று உங்களுக்கு எப்படித் தெரியும்?


கேள்வி கேட்பவர் : அப்படித்தான் சொல்கிறார்கள்.


பதில் : அப்படிச் சொல்பவர்கள் எல்லாம்தான் இதில் அத்தாரிட்டியா? அவர்கள் சொல்வதே இறுதி முடிவா? இப்பொழுது நான் உங்களை ஒன்று கேட்கிறேன். உங்களுடைய தாத்தாவிற்குத் தாத்தாவிற்குத் தாத்தாவிற்குத் தாத்தாவிற்குத் தாத்தா என்று ஒருவர் இருந்தார் அல்லவா?


கேள்வி கேட்பவர் : ஆமாம்.


பதில் : அவர் நல்ல மனிதரா?


கேள்வி கேட்பவர் : ரொம்ப நல்ல மனிதர். நேர்மையானவர்.


பதில் : உங்களுக்கு அது எப்படித் தெரியும்?


கேள்வி கேட்பவர் : என்னுடைய தாத்தா சொல்லியிருக்கிறார். அவருக்கு அவருடைய தாத்தா சொல்லியிருக்கலாம்.


பதில் : உங்கள் தாத்தா சொன்னதை உண்மை என்று நம்புகிறீர்கள். வியாஸர், வால்மீகி இவர்கள் எல்லோருக்கம் முன்னால் வாழ்ந்தவர்கள். எல்லோருக்கும் தாத்தா. அவர்கள் சொன்னால் நம்ப மாட்டீர்களா?


கேள்வி கேட்பவர் : இதையெல்லாம் விடுங்கள். இந்தப் புராணம், இதிஹாசம் இவையெல்லாம் பிராமணர்கள் மற்றவர்களை டாமினேட் செய்வதற்காக எழுதி வைத்த விஷயங்கள்தானே?


சோ அவர்கள் பதில் : பிராமணர்கள் எழுதி வைத்தது என்று சொல்கிறீர்கள். மஹாபாரதத்தை எழுதிய வியாஸரோ, ராமாயணத்தை எழுதிய வால்மீகியோ பிராமணர்கள் அல்ல. வியாஸர் ஒரு மீனவப் பெண்மணிக்குப் பிறந்தவர். வால்மீகி ஒரு வேடுவர். சரி. பிராமணரில்லாத இவர்கள், யாரைப் பற்றி எழுதி வைத்தார்கள்? வால்மீகி சொன்னது – ராமரைப் பற்றி. ராமரோ ஒரு க்ஷத்ரியன். வியாஸர் சொன்னது – கிருஷ்ணரைப் பற்றி. கிருஷ்ணரோ இடையர் குலத்தைச் சார்ந்தவர். இப்படி பிராமணரல்லாத ராமர், கிருஷ்ணர் இவர்களைப் பற்றி, பிராமணரல்லாத வால்மீகியும், வியாஸரும் எழுதி வைத்ததுதான் ராமாயணமும், மஹாபாரதமும். சொன்னவர்களும் பிராமணர்களில்லை; சொல்லப்பட்டவர்களும் பிராமணர்கள் இல்லை. இப்படிப்பட்ட விஷயத்தை பிராமணர்கள், மற்றவர்களை டாமினேட் செய்வதற்காக எழுதி வைத்தது என்று எப்படிச் சொல்கிறீர்கள்? சரி, வியாஸரோ, வால்மீகியோ கூட பிராமணர்கள் இல்லா விட்டாலும், அவர்களுடைய எண்ணம் ‘பிராமணர்களை உயர்த்திக் காட்ட வேண்டும்’ என்று இருந்திருந்தால், அவர்கள் என்ன செய்திருக்க வேண்டும்? ஒரு பிராமண கதாபாத்திரத்தை அல்லவா அவர்கள் மிக உயர்ந்ததாகக் காட்டியிருக்க வேண்டும்? ‘ஒரு பிராமணர்; அவர் சக்ரவர்த்தியாக இருந்தார்; அவரை மாதிரி ஒரு அரசர் இருந்ததே கிடையாது; மிகப் பெரிய வீரர்; அது மட்டுமல்ல, நியாயம் தவறாதவர்; எல்லோரிடமும் கருணை காட்டுபவர்…’ என்றல்லவா எழுதியிருக்க வேண்டும்? அப்படிச் சொல்லவில்லையே அவர்கள்?... .

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/parakalamatham/conversations/messages/10833

 
There is going to be a Hollywood movie on Rama, P.J. ji!

[video]https://youtu.be/Wi5-542tyNQ[/video]
 
It is pleasing to read the above comments. Why should we not believe the above ? In real life also it becomes easy to have really good relations with all human beings, if we question on everything , just for the sake of questioning ? It will lead us nowhere .one can learn more & more with an open mind & develop the habit of listening to others patiently, without interrupting . We can have patience & assimilate the points raised by others & then analyse for realistic position, instead of jumping to conclusions A.Srinivasan
 
It is pleasing to read the above comments. Why should we not believe the above ? In real life also it becomes easy to have really good relations with all human beings, if we question on everything , just for the sake of questioning ? It will lead us nowhere .one can learn more & more with an open mind & develop the habit of listening to others patiently, without interrupting . We can have patience & assimilate the points raised by others & then analyse for realistic position, instead of jumping to conclusions A.Srinivasan

A Srinivasan Sir

Thanks for your thoughtful response.
 
There is a recent trend within Hindu thinking to characterize and interpret 'Ithihasa' such as Ramayana to be much more history centric much like Abrahamic religions. Rajiv Malhotra who has done extensive research has written many books as to why such a trend is not healthy for Hindus in the long run.

Here is a brief passage of his writing:

"For followers of history-centric (Abrahamic) religions, truth-claims based on history are more significant than the scriptural message itself. History-centric dogma such as original sin and resurrection become critical beliefs and no compromise can be made on their acceptance. This explains the centrality of Nicene creed to all major Christian denominations. Followers of history-centric religions believe that the God revealed His message through a special prophet and that the message is secured in scriptures. This special access to God is available only to these intermediaries or prophets and not to any other human beings.

Dharma traditions do not hold history central to their faith. Gautama Buddha emphasized that his enlightenment was merely a discovery of a reality that is always there. He was not bringing any new covenants from any God. The history of the Buddha is not necessary for Buddhist principles to work. In fact, Buddha stated that he was neither the first nor the last person to have achieved the state of enlightenment. He also asserted that he was not God nor sent by any God as a prophet, and whatever he discovered was available to every human to discover for himself"

Rajiv Malhotra - AncientVoice


Ramayana is perhaps based on a historical figure and Ramayana describes Rama as personification of Dharma itself. The relevance of the central message of Rama is not affected even if someone proves tomorrow that there was never a person called Rama.
 
So if a fiction is written, the plot revolving around actual places/zoos/botanical gardens, is it supposed to be real?

I love the story of Ramayana, but of late have started questioning the Historical aspect of the story.
Historical novel are in which the author is writing from research rather than personal experience.
Tolstoy's War and Peace offers an example of 19th century historical fiction used to critique contemporary history. Tolstoy read the standard histories available in Russian and French about the Napoleonic Wars, and used the novel to challenge those historical approaches. At the start of the novel's third volume he describes his work as blurring the line between fiction and history, in order to get closer to the truth.
 

Rajiv Malhotra - AncientVoice


Ramayana is perhaps based on a historical figure and Ramayana describes Rama as personification of Dharma itself. The relevance of the central message of Rama is not affected even if someone proves tomorrow that there was never a person called Rama.


Thanks tks Sir for this message which will reach many members and outsiders who read this.

 
Thereis going to be a Hollywood movie on Rama, P.J. ji!
[/QUOTE]

Oopsy.. big problemo..... this will expose the truth... now the whites will realize that Ramayana & Troy are the same war & this will lead to Krisha is Jesus conclusion...

Now if the whites say Ramayana is Troy, our NRIs will immediately agree... after all the “white people” are saying so...LOL !!!

Renuka Ji –are you there? Are you there? Tring, Tring... you may have to do some quick damage control before the “truth comes out in the open”...& destroys the current cooked up world view... LOL !!!
 
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