WHERE IS THE 'CHAKRAVAN' CITY MENTIONED IN RAMAYANA

The ancient Indian scripture 'Ramayana' describes an ancient city, circular in shape, built by a 'celestial architect', geographically located west of India, reachable from India after crossing a sea, and a couple of mountain ranges. Names of many peaks such as Hemgiri, Vajra, Varaha etc. are mentioned. The entire course of the route from India can be traced in the 'Kishkinda Kand' Section 40-43 of the Valmiki Ramayana.

The city is described as 'shaped like a wheel with a thousand spokes', its name was 'Chakravan' and it was here that a 'celestial weapon' by the name 'Sudarshana' was constructed/developed. Another interpretation is that the city was shaped like the Sudarshana Chakra.

In the Ramayana, four 'vanara'* brigades are readied to be sent out in four different directions for the search of 'Goddess' Sita, the wife of God-King Sri Rama who ruled India from the city of Ayodhya, after she is abducted by Ravana, the king of the mighty Lanka (now Sri Lanka) empire. At a point when it was not yet established where Sita was being held in captivity, the search party headed from Jambudvipa (India) towards the West is given a route-map which leads to what was known as the Asta Mountain. 'Asta' (अस्त) is Sanskrit for 'Sunset', and for the 'vanara' commando brigade Mt. Asta was the culmination point of their search for Sita in the western direction.

Where exactly did this route map take the 'vanara' commando brigade. Did their sojourn take them to the circular city of 'Yerevan' in Armenia, or the ancient city on the ruins of which 'Baghdad' in Iraq came up later, or to the circular Vedic city of 'Arkaim' in Russia.

Here is the route described in the Ramayana in short. Sugreeva, (the 'vanara' commander) directs the 'vanaras' to go west from the Vindya mountains of India, right up to the fourth quarter of the (Arabian) sea, via a point described as 'where the Indus falls into the sea'. The Indus falls into the Arabian Sea at Karachi in Pakistan. Going along this route, the fourth quarter of the sea would bring the Vanaras to the 'Persian Gulf'.

Valmiki description of a coastal mountain by the name 'Hemgiri' - high with its peak touching the sky, and also a waterlogged mountain by the name 'Paariyatra' indicates that the 'vanaras' were probably taking a sea-side route along the Persian Gulf. Valmiki also describes a Mount 'Vajra', which he says shines like a diamond - possibly a reference to the peaks of what is today known as the Zagros Range.

After crossing the fourth quarter of the Ocean, the 'vanaras' are told that they will see a structure on Mt. Chakravan, which looks like a 'wheel with a thousand spokes'. The Ramayana says that the city or structure was built on this mountain by the 'celestial architect' 'Vishwakarma. This suggest a megalithic circular wheel like structure atop a mountain. Where could this city have been located?

One option is the city of Yerevan in Armenia. Yerevan is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities of the world. Yerevan has been built and rebuilt over the ruins of older cities over the centuries - but its basic plan even today remains circular as it was in the ancient times. The city is spread out now but historically the city was located at the heart of the Armenian Highland in Kotayk canton of Ayrarat province.

Yerevan, Armenia
One of the oldest continually inhabited cities of the world.
It retains its ancient 'circular' design.

The Ramayana say that a at distance of 64 'yojanas' (a yojana has been taken to mean a distance of anywhere between 6 to 15 km) from this city, the Vanaras will encounter a peak by the name 'Varaaha'. This may well be Mt. Ararat of today. Mt. Ararat is visible from Yerevan. Also, over the millennia the name 'Chakravan' may have distorted to 'Yerevan' and 'Varaaha' to 'Ararat'. The Ramayana then mentions a city by the name 'Pragjyotish' which was the abode of the demon 'Naraka'. Though there are no cities with a name close to 'Pragjyotish' in the Armenian region, but there sure is a town by the name 'Narek' located close to Mt. Ararat.

Another possibility is that Valmiki may have been referring to a pre-historic city, on the ruins of which Baghdad was built later. Present day Baghdad was built on the ruins of ancient Baghdad which was first built in 700 AD. But is it possible that there was a city already existing thousands of years before 700 AD and was mentioned in the Ramayana. Sketches of ancient Baghdad comes uncannily close to Valmiki's description.

Ancient Baghdad

Some scholars have suggested that there is also a possibility that when the 'vanaras' head west and then continue their journey along a mountain range, they could be moving northwards along the Zagros and further to the Ural range. In that case, could the ancient city that the 'vanaras' saw be 'Arkaim' in the Urals.

The ancient city of Arkaim

The only other known ancient structure on a mountain or hill in Central Asia and west of central Asia is 'Goebeki Tepe'. In fact Valmiki also mentions yet another multi-storied structure built by 'celestial architects' that the 'vanaras' would encounter once they had passed 'Chakravan'. Is it possible that Valmiki was referring to Goebeki Tepe and Nevai Cori. 

It is difficult to determine since only 5-10% of Goebeki Tepe has been excavated until now. Part of Nevali Cori is already lost due to the construction of dams in that region. 

What is certain is that civilizations have been flourishing in all parts of the word much earlier than mainstream historians have allowed us to think but a deeper look at our ancient scriptures may unlock some of the hidden truths about these cities.

*'Vanara' translates as 'monkey' but refers to the 'commando brigade' of Sri Ram's troops.

FROM MT. KAILASH TO ARCTIC OCEAN - THE RAMAYANA CONNECTION

If one were to interpret the Valmiki Ramayana with a modern technological frame of reference, much new information unfolds which reveals why Ramayana is the epic that it is. Rather than accept its popular 'Ramcharitramanas' based interpretation which was written only as recently as 1532 AD and where many new additions were made to the story (for example the 'Laxmanrekha' episode, which does not exist in Valmiki Ramayana), a re-look at Valmiki Ramayana through the present day lens is an eye-opener.

On this page, we limit ourselves to the geography of the area north of India mentioned in the Ramayana. Four 'vanara'* brigades are commissioned to be sent out in four different directions for the search of Sita, the wife of Sri Rama (who ruled India from the city of Ayodhya), after she is abducted by Ravana, the king of the mighty Lanka kingdom. 

At a point in time when it is not yet established where Sita was being held captive, the search party headed from Jambhudwipa (India) towards the North is given a route-map by Sugreev, the 'vanara' leader, which would lead the 'vanaras' right across the mountains of China, the plateau of Mongolia, Lake Baikaal of Siberia and then the path along the Angara River northwards to the Kara Sea of the Arctic Ocean where the search is to end. That the 'vanaras' are instructed to travel right up to the Arctic Ocean is established  by studying the entire route path that Valmiki mentions and especially because of the fact that he describes the 'Northern Lights' or 'Aurora Borealis' of Siberia and the Arctic Ocean.

The search begins and three mountain peaks of the Himalayas are mentioned, the Kala, Sudarshana and the Devasakha. Across these peaks, Sugreev informs the 'vanaras', is a vast expanse of barren plain land, crossing which they shall see Mt. Kailash.

The vast expanse of land are the plains of Tibet, and the location of Mt. Kailash is geographically correct. There are two 'Kailash' peaks in Tibet in today's maps, but a quick search on Google Maps by looking up 'Kailash, Burang, Ngari, China', will pop up the right Mt. Kailash. Those who are familiar with Mt. Kailash will recognize the peak and will be able to identify the grooves which are cut horizontally across (popularly referred to as the 'jata' of Lord Shiva). An oblong reservoir (or the 'yoni') just below the peak, and Lake Mansarover (Mapam Yumco) down at level ground below are also easily identifiable. A look on the zoomed satellite image of the Mt, Kailash at Ngari, Tibet will revel some unique well known features of Mt. Kailash.

Sugreeva then mentions the mansion of Kubera built on Mt. Kailasha constructed by the celestial architect Vishwakarma. Researchers from Russia and 'Ancient Alien Theorists' have already put forth the view that Kailash is no ordinary peak, that it may have been an ancient nuclear energy generation plant, as were many ancient pyramids of the world. Russian scientists have argued that there may have been a complex of about 100 pyramids, used for power generation in the Himalayan mountains. For details on this topic check out related web-sites by clicking here and here. 

Beyond this point interpreters of Ramayana from the medieval times, an era when the common person  did not have the technological and geographical frame of reference we have today, seem to be at sea in interpreting the information that Rishi Valmiki gives.

Sugreev instructs the 'vanaras' to move ahead. He gives them three more mountain peak landmarks. He mentions Mt. Krauncha with a highly impassable tunnel. Like Shiva is said  to have brought down the Ganges on to earth (plains of India) from the  heavens (Himalayas), his son or his 'junior' Skanda is credited with having chiseled a tunnel through Mt. Krauncha.

One of the best known ancient tunnels in China is the Guolinag Tunnel in the Taihang Mountains. Up until 1972 only an ancient path chiseled through the rocks of this mountain linked the villages in the area to the outside world.

Here are a couple of images of the ancient path of Guolinag, which was improved in 1972, not by the government, but once again by the locals. It took them five years to complete the task.

The Krauncha of Ramayana could be one of the peaks in the Taihang Range which indicates that the ancient tunnel in there may be the one mentioned in Ramayana. 

The path that Valmiki chalks out is clear. From Kailash (in the Himalayas) to Krauncha (in the Taihang Range), he says there are many other mountain peaks - namely the 'treeless' Mt. Kaama and the 'abode of birds',Mt. Maanasa, - that the 'vanaras' will see. Sugreev instructs them to scour these mountains thoroughly for Sita. These are  the mountains of the Qinling Range which falls between the Himalayas and the Taihang Mountains as the 'vanaras' move in the north-east direction from Kailash. (See Map below). The two highest peaks, and therefore most visible, in this chain are the Tuanjie and the Taibai. It is possible that the Ramayana was referring to these two (Kaama and Maanasa).

Then Sugreev mentions another peak called Mt. Mainaaka, which is identified by 'a massive mansion built by demon architect by the name Maya'. Just as the 'Ram-Setu' of Ramayana (also called Adam's Bridge) lies exactly in the spot mentioned in the Ramayana, and the Gympie Pyramid of Queensland (Australia) referred in Ramayana as 'a peak like structure built by the celestial architect Vishwakarma', the 'Mansion of Maya' may also be another pre-historical megalithic structure built by unknown 'celestials', this time in China. The maximum number of ancient pyramids of China, whose existence until recently was completely denied, lie in the Shaanxi Province. The largest one of them, the Xi'an is only 184 Km from the Taibai peak, well on the path of the 'Vanaras' mentioned in the Ramayana. So could the so called Mt. Mainakaa be one of the ancient Pyramids of the Shaanxi province of China? Quite possible. For more details on Pyramids of China, click here.

In the verses that follow, Sugreev mentions the next landmark - he says that after crossing over a vast  province, the 'vanaras' would arrive at a large lake by the name 'Vaikhana". Travelling North of China, crossing the Mongolian province or plateau, one would arrive at the eastern tip of Lake Baikal in Siberia. Many scholars have identified 'Vaikhana' as the 'Baikaal' lake of Siberia. Many facts support why this might be true:

1. What the Ramayana says ahead is that at the other (Western) end of Lake Vaikhana, is a river by the name Shailoda, and if the 'vanaras' were to follow its path northward, across many miles 'they would reach the Northern Ocean'. This is indeed true. Shailoda has been identified as the present day Angara. River 'Angara' flows from the western tip of lake Baikaal and after many miles falls into the Kara Sea of North Arctic Ocean. (Like their ancient names 'Vaikhana' and 'Shailoda' mentioned in the Ramayana, their present names 'Baikal' and 'Angara' too are of Sanskrit origin. Click here for more details).

2. The name Kara itself is interesting. Ancient Indian texts refer to Siberia as Uttara-Kuru. 'Uttara' means 'North', 'Kuru' is the name of the Indian tribe that had traveled north. 'Kara', the name of the Sea into which the Angara River falls, is most likely a distortion of the ancient Sanskrit name 'Kuru'.

3. Sugreev also advises the 'vanaaras' to cross Lake Baikaal with the help of the 'keechaka' (Bamboo) that grows there. This has reference to the 'Siberian Bamboo Grass' which was used by the locals to cross the lakes and water odies in this region For more on the subject click here.

Siberian bamboo Grass or the 'Keechaka' mentioned in Ramayana

4. Finally, Valmiki mentions the 'Northern Lights' which Sugreev tells the 'vanaras' will become visible as they move northwards from Lake Vaikhana. 

The Siberian Zone in Green where the Northen Lights are visible

In Section 43, Verse 36 of Kishkinda Kand, Valmiki says, "Going beyond that expanse of water, you will come upon a sky, which even when devoid of the stars or the moon or the sun is illuminated by rays, as if there is light emitting from the self-luminous, god-like sages who repose there". Valmiki equates the light of 'Aurora Borealis' to the 'light that emits from sages who have attained 'siddhi'.

Northern Lights, Siberia

The last landmark mentioned in Uttara-Kuru is Mt. Soma. Mt. Soma has to be one of the peaks of the Urals. The highest peak in the Urals is the 'Narodnaya' - which in the local language means 'Mountain of the People'. In Sanskrit too the word has the same meaning- 'nara' means 'people' or 'human' and 'udaya' means 'elevation'.

Many rivers and mountains of Siberia have surprisingly close Sanskrit names, including Mt. Mana-Raga, River Kama, Lake Kulind and many many more.
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* 'Vanara' translates as 'monkey' but from the descriptions in Valmiki Ramayana they were 'trained commandos'. The Ramayana describes the 'vanaras' as acclaimed for undertaking impossible deeds, renowned for their confrontation skills, and noteworthy in their manoeuvers. They dwelt in the mountains and were known to travel on earth, on water and fly through the sky.
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NEW ZEALAND AND THE PARACAS TRIDENT (PERU) - THE RAMAYANA CONNECTION

In the Ramayana, four 'vanara'* brigades are commissioned to be sent out in four different directions for the search of Sita, the wife of Sri Rama (who ruled India from the city of Ayodhya), after she is abducted by Ravana, the king of the mighty Lanka kingdom. At a point in time when it is not yet established where Sita was being held captive, the search party headed from Jambhudwipa (India) towards the East is given a route-map by Sugreev, the 'vanara' leader, which  would lead the 'vanaras' right up to Shalmali-Dvipa (Australia) and from there on to the Andes in South America via New Zealand. 

The Paracas Trident etched on the Andes
in Peru is described in the Ramayana

The Ramayana refers to the Andes as the 'Udaya' Mountains. 'Udaya' (उदय) is Sanskrit for 'Sunrise' and its account in the Ramayana establishes that the ancients were aware that if they travelled far enough in the east from India, they would reach the Udaya (Andes) after crossing the 'soft-water ocean' which is the 'Pacific'. (The Pacific is referred to as the 'Svadu' (स्वादु) in the Ramayana. 'Svadu' is Sanskrit for 'sweet', 'pleasant' and 'agreeable' indicating that there might be a reason why Ferdinand Magellan too, though much later in time, named the ocean 'Pacific' after his comparatively smooth sailing experience through this ocean during his voyage around the world.)

The details of the route that Sugreev chalks out for the 'vanaras' headed east from India to 'Shalmali-dvipa' (Australia) is detailed here.

From Shalmali Dwipa, Sugreev instructs the 'vanaras' to proceed to the Milky Ocean where he states they would come across the 'excellent' Rishabha Mountain. The 'Rishabha' (ऋषभ) is described as a 'White cloud with a pearly necklace of waves rippling on the shores below'. Close-by they would spot the Sudharshana Lake with 'silvery lotuses which have fibrils of gold' and where 'kingly swans scamper around'.

Sage Valmiki may here be referring to Mount Cook of New Zealand, and the Milky Ocean may be the Tasman Sea which falls in the path from Brisbane to South Island in New Zealand. Mount Cook, which is easily identifiable for it is the highest mountain in the region, is surrounded by many amazingly beautiful lakes, of which the largest today is Lake 'Pukaki'. Valmiki could be referring to one of them when he mentions the 'Sudarshana' Lake. In Sanskrit 'Sudarshan' (सुदर्शन) means 'beautiful to look at'. 

Lake Pukaki, with Mt. Cook in the background. These may well be
Lake Sudarshana and Mt. Rishabh of the Ramayana. The Ramayana
traces the path from New Zealand to the Andes in Peru.

After passing Mt. Rishabha and Lake Sudarshana the 'vanaras' are told they would then arrive at the 'Soft-Water Ocean'. This of course is the Pacific Ocean. Thereafter Valmiki describes what appear to be a mighty, continuous ring of volcanic eruptions. He describes the inferno as 'a Fantastic refulgent fire in the form of a Horse's face'.

As one travels from New Zealand to South America by sea, one would cross the Pacific Ring of Fire just off the shores of New Zealand and then once again before landing ashore in South America. The Ring of Fire is an area where a large number of volcanic eruptions occur in the basin of the Pacific Ocean. In the next verse Valmiki describes the magnitude of this 'fantastic fire'. He writes that at the end of each epoch or era, that fire emerges forth with even more energy till all things, mobile or immobile, and the entire Creation becomes the fuel of this fire.

To the right of Australia is a part of the 'Pacific Ring of Fire' 
that one would have to navigate past en-route from New Zealand to 
South America. Valmiki describes it in the Ramayana as the
'Fantastic Refulgent Fire in the form of a Horse Face'.

Valmiki also describes the oceanic sounds of this fire that have the power to 'incapacitate the most capable ones'. In the verses that follow Valmiki writes about the final destination of the vanaras, the 'Andes' in South America, more specifically the Paracas Trident etched on  a mountain of the Paracas Peninsula. 

However, the closest point from New Zealand to South America is if one heads to the southern tip of South America somewhere in Chile. And the fact that this is where the 'vanaras' are directed to head before the move northward to Peru is clear from one of the verses in  chapter 40 of Kishkindakand of the Ramayana. Valmiki writes, "There you shall see then, oh, vanara-s, the lotus-petal broad-eyed thousand-hooded serpent god in black clothing, namely Ananta, sitting on the top of that mountain and sustaining the earth on his head, who will be like moon in his brilliance and whom all beings hold in reverence." [4-40-51, 52].

In ancient Indian texts the southern tip of South America (Chile) is 'the head of the serpent called Ananta', on which the earth rests. (See map above).

The 'vanaras' are told that from there when they travel northwards  they would see the Jaat-shila-rupa (which translates as the Golden Rock Peak), etched on which is a 'golden pylon resembling a palm tree with three branches'. Sugreev continues, "That pylon of palm tree is constructed as the easterly compass by celestial gods." This is the Paracas Trident or Candelabra of Peru.

The Paracas Trident of Peru is described in the Ramayana
as the 'easterly compass of the celestial gods'

The Bhagwat Purana mentions that Vishnu (in his Vamana Avatar) strode over the universe in three giants steps, which some have interpreted  as three stops on his way in his journey around the world and the heavens. It is said that one step was at the Udaya peak (where the Paracas Trident is etched). In the Ramayana the Vanaras are told that when they reach Udaya they will see the what is called the shining Vajra of Indra. In the Peruvian folklore the Paracas Candelabra or Trident is identified with the  'Lightening Rod of the Mayan God Viracocha'. Click here to read about the Sanskrit Connection to the word 'Paracas'. 

In the Bhagwat Purana there is a very interesting link between Lord Indra and an 'asura' by the name Viro-chana, the son of Prahalad and the father of Bali. In short, both Indra and Virochana vie with each other to impress Brahma with their knowledge about 'Atman' or the 'Supreme Consciousness'. Bramha promises to grant control of the universe to the one who proves his knowledge about 'Atman'. Could 'Viro-chana' the son of Prahalad mentioned in the Bhagwat Purana be the 'Vira-cocha' of the Peruvians. Could the lightening rod of the Peruvian 'Vira-cocha' be the 'Vajra' of Indra. Indra is known to have 'brought down mountains as they flew by' with his Vajra. Who finally wins control depends on which version one reads. But in Indian texts it is Indra who establishes control which is passed on to him by Brahma. He later 'wields the  Vajra to subjugate the mountains'.

The 'Vajra' of Indra

The journey of the 'vanaras' in the East ends at the Sau-manasa peak, located just beyond the Udaya. The Ramayana says that beyond this point is where east ends and west begins. It also states that beyond the Saumanasa peak is the land where 'the celestials frequent'. The occurrence of extra-terrestrial activity in this part of the world is supported by the fact that  South America is the site of some of the most magnificent, yet unexplained, ancient megalithic structures anywhere in the world. 

To find the relevant verses, check out Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkinda Kand, Chapter 40. In this chapter Sugreev instructs his 'vanaras' travelling east about the route they are to follow and the associated landmarks that will help them keep on track in their search for Sita.

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* 'Vanara' translates as 'monkey' but from the descriptions in Valmiki Ramayana they were 'trained commandos'. The Ramayana describes the 'vanaras' as acclaimed for undertaking impossible deeds, renowned for their confrontation skills, and noteworthy in their manoeuvers. They dwelt in the mountains and were known to travel on earth, on water and fly through the sky.

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Suggested Link:
Astronomical Dating of the Ramayana

AUSTRALIA & THE GYMPIE PYRAMID - THE RAMAYANA CONNECTION

It is possible that a structure mentioned in the Indian Scripture, the Ramayana, is really the Gympie Pyramid located close to Brisbane in Australia.

'Goddess' Sita, the wife of the Vedic 'god' Lord Rama is abducted by the (Sri) Lankan Celestial ruler Ravana. Plans are made to send search parties in four directions. As the strategy is devised, Sage Valmiki, the author, describes the route that each of the parties is instructed to take in their search for Sita. Of the places mentioned along the route that the search party headed east of India is to take, the first one that is easily identifiable is Java. It is referred to as 'Yava Dvipam' (or the Yava Island). Here is the actual verse from the Valmiki Ramayana (4-40-30).

यत्नवन्तो यव द्वीपम् सप्त राज्य उपशोभितम् |
सुवर्ण रूप्यकम् द्वीपम् सुवर्ण आकर मण्डितम् || 4-40-30

Following this verse, there are descriptions of a mountain by the name Shishira which 'pierces the heaven'. (4-40-31) Then there is a mention of 'rapid red waters' of the River Shona. 'Shona' (शोण) means 'red' in Sanskrit. (4-40-33).

यव द्वीपम् अतिक्रम्य शिशिरो नाम पर्वतः |
दिवम् स्पृशति शृन्गेण देव दानव सेवितः || 4-40-31
ततो रक्त जलम् प्राप्य शोण आख्यम् शीघ्र वाहिनीम् |
गत्वा पारम् समुद्रस्य सिद्ध चारण सेवितम् || 4-40-33
They are told to proceed to an island called Plaksha and further on to Ikshu Island. They will then confront a furious and tempestuous tide-ripped ocean and its islands. Ahead is another ocean named Lohita. (Lohita means 'yellow' but the waters are described as a mix of yellow and red. This is most likely the Coral Sea of Australia.

After crossing the sea, the author says, becomes visible the tallest ever 'Shalmali' (शाल्मलि) tree on an island. The botanical name for the Sanskrit 'Shalmali' is Salmalia Malabaricatralia and is also referred to as Bombax Ceiba. It is native to Asia and Northern Australia. The island is probably the Fraser island. The Bombax Ceiba species of silk-cotton trees is sometimes known as Kapok in Northern Australia. And the 'Shalmali' are tall trees growing up to a height of 80 feet. Interestingly, the Vishnu Purana refers to Australia as 'Shalmali Dwipa'.

The island mentioned in the verse is most probably the Fraser Island because immediately following the verse about the 'Shalmali tree on an island', comes the mention of 'a gigantic, peak like structure' resembling 'Kailasha'. (Verse 4-40-40). This structure is the Gympie Pyramid!

The peak like structure, says the Ramayana, was built by Vishwakarma, a 'celestial' architect, responsible for the construction of many gigantic cities and structures (probably the megaliths) around the world. The Ramayana also says that the structure or the mansion belongs to 'Garuda', the offspring of 'Vinata'. (The Kailasha is a peak in the Himalayan Range, and is a pilgrimage point for Hindus to this day). Here is the verse:

An old photograph of the Summit of the Gympie Pyramid
in Queensland, Australia which has now
been bulldozed by the authorities.

गृहम् च वैनतेयस्य नाना रत्न विभूषितम् |
तत्र कैलास संकाशम् विहितम् विश्वकर्मणा || ४-४०-४०
(There built by Vishwakarma, peak like, gigantic, resembling Kailasha, is the mansion of Vinata's offspring.) 4-40-40


The only land that one can reach after crossing an ocean further east of Java and Indonesia is Australia, and the structure is the Gympie Pyramid unless there is another 'peak' like structure in this area. The Gympie pyramid site in Queensland is about 120 Km away from Fraser island. The author then says that after one passes this gigantic structure, one will see a shore which is white and shaped like a necklace. This is probably the coast off the shores of Brisbane. 

The Ruins of the Base of the 
Gympie Pyramid, Australia

The Ramayana then mentions a Milky Ocean, a tall mountain by the name Rishaba, a silvery lake called Sudharsha, and a beautiful land inhabited by the 'devas', 'apsaras' and 'kinnaras'  This may be New Zealand. For the details of what the 'vanaras' would see as the passed this region are detailed here.

The search party is directed to cross many seas, oceans and islands beyond this point before they reach a place which can only be Peru. The Ramayana describes the Andes in detail and also the Paracas Trident insignia etched on the Andes in Peru. The search party is instructed to head back from the Andes.

As far as the Gympie ruins of Queensland, Australia are concerned, it is unfortunate that the Australian authorities have decided to construct a road right across the Gympie area. The Pyramid structure was already in ruins, though the base existed until recently. Many denials were issued regarding the existence of this structure and many debunking theories have been floated. However, the fact remains that artifacts like the Vedic God Ganesha and a Goddess in a Padmasana posture seated on a lotus flower have been found at Gympie, which indicates that ancient world history is way different than what we are lead to believe.

The Vedic Goddess Artifact found at the Gympie site

A Ganesh statute found at the Gympie site

Suggested Links:
1. The Uru Civilization, Australia - The Sanskrit Connection
2. Australian Place Names - The Sanskrit Connection
3. River Yarra, Australia - The Sanskrit Connection

VIMANA, HANUMAN, SCIENCE - AND THE RAMAYANA

'Vimana' is Sanskrit for 'airplane'. Vimana is a compound word made of two parts. 'Vi' (वि) means 'sky' and 'mana' (मान) means 'measure'. Vimana (विमान) means 'that which measures the sky as it traverses through'. 'Mana' also means 'dimension' and 'height'.

The Pushpak Vimana is the best known of the Vimanas in the Ramayana. However, there are verses in the Ramayana that indicate that there were other Vimanas too, and our ancients knew of the existence of Vimanas other than the Pushpaka.

First of all, the magnificence of the city of Ayodhya is equated to the magnificence of a Vimana. In the First Volume of the Valmiki Ramayana, by the name 'BalaKanda', (बालकाण्ड), in Section 5, Verse 19 , Valmiki states, "And the foremost spot of all the earth (Ayodhya) was like a Vimana - Vimanas that are obtained in Heaven by the 'Siddhas' through force of ascetic austerities - and, (Ayodhya) was inhabited by the best specimens of humanity".

Here is the verse in Sanskrit:
विमानम् इव सिद्धानाम् तपस अधिगतम् दिवि |
सु निवेशित वेश्मान्ताम् नरोत्तम समावृताम् ||१-५-१९
'vimanam eva siddhanam tapasadhigatam divi |
suniveshit aveshmantam narottam-samavritam' || 1-5-19

Could Valmiki have meant something else by the word 'vimana' when he likened Ayodhya to a 'vimana'. Not if you look at two other verses of Ramayana. Once again not relying on the Pushpak Vimana example, here is a look at the 'Sunadarkanda' ( सुन्दर काण्ड ) book, Section 12, verse 25 of Valmiki Ramayana. Verses 1-24 describe Hanuman's flight over the city of Lanka, as he scans houses and palaces, gardens and galleries, pools and streams from the sky to find Sita. When Hanuman returns after his aerial search for Sita, not yet having been able to trace her, Valmiki states in Verse 25:

अवतीर्य विमानाच् च हनूमान् मारुत आत्मजः |
चिन्ताम् उपजगाम अथ शोक उपहत चेतनः || ५-१२-२५
avatiirya vimaanaac ca hanuumaan maaruta aatmajaH |
cintaam upajagaama atha shoka upahata cetanaH || 5-12-25

'Descending from the Vimana, Hanuman - the son of the Wind-God, his senses deprived by sorrow was again wrought up with anxiety.'

That Hanuman flies over the city of Lanka cannot be questioned because there are many verses that can be cited to support that. The words 'descending from the vimana' in Verse 25 prove that his flight is in a car, that is an 'airplane'.This is the last verse in Section 12 of the 'Sunderkand'.

In Section 13, Verse 1, Valmiki continues:
विमानात् तु सुसम्क्रम्य प्राकारम् हरि यूथपः |
हनूमान् वेगवान् आसीद् यथा विद्युद् घन अन्तरे || ५-१३-१
vimaanaat tu susamkramya praakaaram hari yuuthapaH |
hanuumaan vegavaan aasiid yathaa vidyud ghana antare || 5-13-1

'Alighting from the Vimana, the Lord of the Herd (of Vanaras or the 'monkeys'), Hanuman walked towards the wall (or rampart), like lightening through the clouds.'

This is proof that Hanuman flies in an aeroplane of some kind when he flies over Lanka to search for Sita, alights from the plane and walks towards what must have been an airport-like building.

The plane that Hanuman descends from is not the Pushpaka, though for some reason many writers assume so. The Pushpak Vimana belonged to Ravana, the King of Lanka, who had acquired it from his wife's, (Mandodari's) brother Kubera, also known as the God of Wealth. (It is only after the defeat of Ravana, that Rama has access to the Pushpaka Vimana). 

Later, when Hanuman burns down the city of Lanka, after his tail is set on fire - the fire probably is the exhaust emissions of the aeroplane, something like what we see today, rather than Hanuman's burning tail.

So what was the name of Hanuman's aeroplane. And how many aeroplane did Ravan own. More about that later.

Lord Rama - The Date of Birth Issue

According to Valmiki Ramayana, Sri Rama was born on the 9th day or the ninth tithi, also known as Navami, of the waxing moon fortnight, otherwise known as 'Shukla Paksh',  in the month of Chaitra, sometime in antiquity. 

The other pointers to the planetary positions at the time of  Sri Rama's birth in Valmiki Ramayana are that Sri Ram's birth ascendant was Cancer, the day was advancing  which indicates that the birth happened between 12 noon and 1 pm, that five of the seven planets were exalted, two planets were in their own sign of which one was Moon. It also says that Moon was placed with Jupiter. In saying that the presiding deity is Aditi, Rishi Valmiki indicates that Sri Rama was born in the Punarvasu Nakshatra. 

This also indicates that Moon had to be located between 0 degrees to  3.20 degrees of Cancer, since it is only between 0-3'20 degrees of Cancer, when Moon is associated with Cancer in the Punarvasu Nakshatra. 

In one shot Rishi Valmiki describes all the planetary positions we need to calculate Sri Rama's birth chart. Here it is:

ततो यज्ञे समाप्ते तु ऋतूनाम् षट् समत्ययुः |
ततः च द्वादशे मासे चैत्रे नावमिके तिथौ || १-१८-८
नक्क्षत्रे अदिति दैवत्ये स्व उच्छ संस्थेषु पंचसु |
ग्रहेषु कर्कटे लग्ने वाक्पता इंदुना सह || १-१८-९
प्रोद्यमाने जगन्नाथम् सर्व लोक नमस्कृतम् |
कौसल्या अजनयत् रामम् सर्व लक्षण संयुतम् || १-१८-१०

By deduction we also know that Sun was in Aries constellation, Mars in Capricorn, Jupiter in Cancer, Venus in Pisces and Saturn in Libra.

Since Moon and Jupiter are together in Cancer in the first house or ascendant, it caused one of the best forms of Gaj Kesari Yoga. Jupiter is exalted, and Moon is in its own sign in Cancer. What could be better than that!

But we are looking at Lord Rama's planetary positions here from a point of view of astronomy, and not astrology! Though both are intricately tied up with one another!!

This planetary data was fed into the Planetarium Software, a software which is now declassified, but was earlier used by NASA to calculate the exact position of planets for any given date - past, present or future. The closest date from today ino the past, for which the planetary data of Lord Rama's birth fits in, is 10th January, 5114 BC. Since then this combination has never occurred in the skies which implies Sri Ram was born no later than 5114 BC.

So why does Sri Ram's birth in 5114 BC fall in the month of January and not in March-April as it does in today. In other words why does lunar month Chaitra coincide with March-April and not with January as it did in 5114 BC. This is due to the shift in the precession of the equinox.


A note on the Shift of the Precession of the Equinox: The positions of the Equinoxes move westward along the ecliptic compared to the fixed stars on the celestial sphere. This annual motion is about 1 degree every 71.6 years. A complete Precession cycle covers a period of 25,765 (71.6 * 360) years, during which time the equinox regresses over 360°. This journey over 25,765 years covers the 12 constellations of the sky so that the sun rises on the vernal equinox in the same zodiac for about 2,150 years in each constellation.

Today, the Sun rises in the background of Pisces on the vernal equinox. We are almost at the end of this cycle, the Sun will rise in the background of Aquarius from 2150 AD onwards. 2150 years back (calculated from 2150 AD) that is from 1 AD to 2150 BC, the Sun rose with Aries in the background of vernal equinox, another 2150 years before that , that is, 4300-2151 BC,in Taurus and from 6450 - 4300 BC in Gemini! This almost 4 sign shift in the precession of the equinox accounts for the roughly 4 month shift from January to April in Sri Ram's birth day month of Chaitra.

His year of birth therefore may be 5114 BC or earlier in antiquity, but that date has not been calculated.  We need a software even more powerful than Planetarium Software. 

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tataH yaj~ne samaapte = then, ritual, on completion;
R^ituuNaam SaT sam atyayuH = seasons, six, well, passed by; 
tataH = then; dvaadashe maase = in twelfth, month; 
chaitre naavamike tithau = chaitra month , ninth, day;
nakshatre aditi daivatye = star of the day [Punarvasu,] whose presiding deity is aditi;
panchasu graheSu swa uccha samstheshu = of five, planets, in their own, highest, positions - in their own ucCha sthAna-s in their own exalted positions -  meSha, makara, karkaTa, mIna, tula - rAshI-s;

chandra yukta guru karkaTa lagne proudyamane;
karkaTe lagne = in Cancer [of Zodiac]; 
vaak patiH= when Speech's, Lord [Jupiter]; 
indunaa saha =  Moon, along with; 
pra udyamane =  advancing daytime
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