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from
Stephen Knapp Website
These are not only interesting, but also tend to verify the basic Vedic form
of history.
These are numbered in the chronological order in which they were
discovered throughout the year.
1. A City Dating Back to 7500 BC
As was announced on January 16, 2002 from New Delhi, Indian scientists have
made an archaeological discovery that dates back to 7500 BC. This suggests,
as a top government official said, that the world's oldest cities came up
about 4,000 years earlier than is currently believed. The scientists found
pieces of wood, remains of pots, fossil bones and what appeared like
construction material just off the coast of Surat, Science and Technology
Minister Murli Manohar Joshi told a news conference. He said, "Some of these
artifacts recovered by the National Institute of Ocean Technology from the
site, such as the log of wood date back to 7500 BC, which is indicative of
a very ancient culture in the present Gulf of Cambay, that got submerged
subsequently." Current belief is that the first cities appeared around 3500
BC in the valley of Sumer, where Iraq now stands, a statement issued by the government said. "We can safely say from the antiquities and the acoustic
images of the geometric structures that there was human activity in the
region more than 9,500 years ago (7500 BC)," said S.N. Rajguru,
an
independent archaeologist.
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2. Recent Indian Archeological Find Could Rewrite History
By Lori Erbs
WARANGAL, INDIA, Feb 12, 2002 - Mysterious Sunken City Found Near Surat
Michael Cremo recently attended a meeting of ranking Indian governmental
officials at which Murli Monohar Joshi, Minister for Science and Technology,
confirmed the archeological find by an Indian oceanographic survey team.
Could the recent discovery of a sunken city off the Northwest Coast of India
near Surat revolutionize our concept of history?
Michael A. Cremo,
historian of archeology and author of "Forbidden
Archeology", claims that all the history textbooks would have to be
rewritten if this ancient find proves to be of Vedic origin. Radiocarbon
testing of a piece of wood from the underwater site yielded an age of 9,500
years, making it four thousand years older than earliest cities now
recognized. According to Cremo,
"The ancient Sanskrit writings of India
speak of cities existing on the Indian subcontinent in very primeval times.
Although historians tend to dismiss such accounts as mythological, these new
discoveries promise to confirm the old literary accounts."
A leading
authority on anomalous archeological evidence, Michael Cremo is currently
touring Indian universities and cultural institutions to promote the release
of "The Hidden History of the Human Race", the abridged Indian edition of "Forbidden
Archeology" (Torchlight Publishing 1993).
Asserting the recent find may be just the first step, he says, "It is likely
that even older discoveries will follow." The cultural identity of the
people who inhabited the underwater city is as yet unknown. Most historians
believe that Sanskrit-speaking people entered the Indian subcontinent about
3,500 years ago, from Central Asia. Other historians accept India itself as
the original home of Sanskrit-speaking people, whose lifestyle is termed
Vedic culture because their lives were regulated by a body of literature
called the Vedas.
The case of the mysterious sunken city near Surat may offer further
definitive proof to support the ancient origins of man described in Cremo's
controversial bestseller "Forbidden Archeology". With over 200,000 copies in
print in a dozen languages, "Forbidden Archeology" documents scientific
evidence suggesting that modern man has existed for millions of years.
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3. Treasures Discovered at the Ancient Angkor Complex
SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA, (Kapuchea) February 27, 2002:
After the Khmer Rouge
laid down their arms in Cambodia, the ancient Angkor Wat complex that was
built between the 9th and 14th century by the Khmer Kings became available
for exploration by tourists and religious seekers. This article, written by
news correspondent David Richie, delves into the wonders of some 30 temples
that have been cleared in the jungle and can be visited. Of special interest
to Hindus is a temple dedicated to Lord Siva. Built in the 10th century and
located 20 km from Bayon, the impressive structure built of red sandstone
has been well preserved and houses intricate carvings of deities. Hindus
would also marvel at "The River of a Thousand Lingas" at
Kobal Spien. After
an hour-long hike, the site reveals lots of small linga-shaped stones right
in the river surrounded by deities of Vishnu, Rama, Lakshmi, and
Hanuman. At Preah Khan, the Temple of the Sacred Sword built in 1191, 500 Hindu deities
were once worshiped during 20 major festivals. Now the site houses birds,
cicadas, and lizards. To bring the vastness of the complex into perspective,
the size was compared to the area covered by inner Washington D.C.
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4. Sixty-five Million Years Old Crocodile Fossils Discovered
Updated on 2002-04-04
QUETTA, April 04 (PNS):
In a major discovery, a team of
Geological Survey of
Pakistan (GSP) has discovered 65 million years old fossils of Crocodile in
Vitakri area, some 310 km off here, GSP officials confided to
PNS here on
Wednesday. The specimen collected to date includes a well-preserved rostrum
of a new genus and species named as "Pabwehshi Pakistanensis".
The fossils
are an anterior portion of left and right mandibular rostrum preserving the
upper and lower teeth in place, said Asif Rana, Curator, Museum of
Historical Geology of GSP to this correspondent.
Disclosing the new discovery of crocodile fossils, Asif Rana said the fossil
horizon occurs in the upper part of the Pab formation and provides the first
diagnostic remains of Cretaceous Crocodyliform from the Indian subcontinent.
He said the fossils were believed to be 65 to 70 million years old and
provide important information for assessing bio-geographic history of the
region. He disclosed that the Pabwehshi Pakistanensis was closely related to
a group previously known only from Argentina.
This species "Baurusuchidae" has not yet been discovered on other
Gondawana land mass. He elaborated the plate tectonics theory that Indo-Pak was
initially interlocked with the Gondawana land mass of Africa, Antarctica,
Australia and Madagascar early in the Mesozoic era, some 200 million years
ago. It drifted northward during the Cretaceous period to collide with
Laurasian land mass during the Cenozoic era. This collision resulted in the
emergence of Himalaya-Karakorum-Hindu Kush mountain ranges. The new fossil
discovery is relevant in the reconstruction of the paleo-geographic history
of the Indo-Pak subcontinent, he said.
He said this discovery strengthens the hypothesis that a land connection
might have existed between Indo-Pakistan sub-continental and
South American
plates. About the discoveries of GSP, Asif Rana said that Pakistani
geologists had recently unearthed 2,700 fossilized bones of a new slender
limbed Titanosaurus dinosaur from the same locality in the same formation of
sedimentary rocks.
The GSP researchers have also discovered a 47 million years old walking
whale from Balochistan. The fossils of the largest land mammal "Baluchitherium"
discovered by GSP's palaeontologists in 1985 from Dera Bugti are also on
display in the GSP's Museum of Historical Geology at Quetta, he said. He
said that these discoveries of dinosaurs, walking whale and super crocodile
had provided a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages to learn about
the past.
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5. Ancient City Found Off the Coast of Mamallapuram
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), India, April 11, 2002:
An ancient underwater
city has been discovered off the coast of southeastern India. Divers from
India and England made the discovery based on the statements of local
fishermen and the old Indian legend of the Seven Pagodas. The ruins, which
are off the coast of Mahabalipuram, cover many square miles and seem to
prove that a major city once stood there. A further expedition to the region
is now being arranged which will take place at the beginning of 2003. The
discovery was made on April 1 by a joint team of divers from the Indian
National Institute of Oceanography and the Scientific Exploration Society
based in Dorset. Expedition leader Monty Halls said:
"Our divers were
presented with a series of structures that clearly showed man-made
attributes. The scale of the site appears to be extremely extensive, with 50
dives conducted over a three-day period covering only a small area of the
overall ruin field. This is plainly a discovery of international
significance that demands further exploration and detailed investigation."
More information
HERE
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6. Links Between Ancient India and Mayans
From the Deccan Chronicle
HYDERABAD, INDIA, April 29, 2002:
Recent studies suggests a link between
Indus Valley and Mayans of Central America. The studies focused on the
calendars of the two advanced civilizations. The Indus Valley inhabitants
followed a calendar based on the movements of Jupiter, and the Mayans
followed one based on the Venus. In the Puranas, a secondary Hindu scripture,
Jupiter, Brihaspati, was acknowledged to be the leader of the gods, while
Venus, Shukra, was the leader of the asuras. The texts further state that
the devas and asuras lived on opposite sides of the Earth. Mexico and India
are at opposite sides in longitude. The correspondences were pointed out by
B. G. Siddarth, director of the B. M. Birla Science Centre in Hyderabad. He
also said the Hindu story of the churning of the ocean has been found in
carvings in Mexico, as well Mayan representations of a tortoise carrying
twelve pillars similar to Indian illustrations. Dr. Ganapati Sthapati
of
Chennai, a foremost expert on Vastu Shatra, the ancient Hindu architecture,
has visited the Mayan structures in Central America and found many
similarities between the design and construction methods of the Mayans and
that of the ancient Hindus.
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7. Taxila 600 Years Older Than Earlier Believed
By Mahmood Zaman June 2, 2002
DAWN, Karachi, Lahore
LAHORE, March 23:
Recent excavations at Taxila have pushed back the history
of the ancient settlement by another six centuries to the neolithic age.
Earlier, artifacts collected by Sir John Marshall had dated Taxila back to
518 BC. The new study also indicates the existence of cities in the valley
between 1200 BC and 1100 BC. Potshreds and other terracotta, found at the
lowest occupational level, 15 feet in depth, is the main evidence of the
latest discovery which establishes that Taxila and the Indus Valley
Civilization settlements of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa existed almost
simultaneously. Sir John, who excavated several Taxila sites between 1913
and 1934, had found four occupational levels. The latest study has unearthed
six occupational levels which have been listed afresh as pre-Achaemenian,
Achaemenian, Macedonian, Mauriyan, Bactarian Greek and Scythian. Archaeology
Department and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, have also found for the first time an integrated drainage
system comprising open as well as covered drains.
The discovery of several wells also establishes that fresh water was used
for cooking and bathing. Yet another discovery is that of a hall and
adjacent chambers which archaeologists understand were part of a palace of
the then ruler, King Ambhi, who received Alexander the Great at this palace
in 326 BC. The evidence of the hall is based on pillars and walls which have
been found at the Bhir Mound's fourth occupational level. The excavation
started in September 1998 and is still going on. The preliminary report
repudiates some of the theories propounded in 1934 by Sir John Marshall
regarding the age of the three cities of Taxila - the Bhir Mound, Srikap and
Sirsukh - and the Buddhist monasteries around.
One such theory proposed by Sir John, who became the first chief of the
Archaeology Department in 1913 and immediately started excavating Taxila,
was that the Bhir Mound city was abandoned between the first century BC and
the first century AD by Bactarian Greeks who were the last inhabitants of
the city. The latest excavations have established that the city was not
completely abandoned and that it was later occupied by Scythians.
It has been found that the Taxila people used to pull fresh water from
community wells, of which three have been discovered so far. Raised walls
protected the wells from refuse. A Mauriyan era drainage network has also
been found. It comprises a number of small drains which are connected with
the main drains which are also covered. This is the second ancient site
(Mohenjo-Daro being the first) where such drains have been found. Metal and
terracotta utensils have been found in the rooms, bathrooms and kitchens.
The palace where King Ambhi is believed to have received
Alexander the Great
in 326 BC, has abundant evidence of royal living. A kitchen and a bar have
been unearthed on the palace site. More than 600 ancient objects have also
been found from the site. They include terracotta pottery and clay
figurines. Objects made from shells, iron and copper have also been
discovered along with terracotta and semi-precious stone beads.
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8. Buried Siva Temples Found
From "The Hindu" paper
SIDDAVATAM, CUDDAPAH DISTRICT, June 2, 2002:
The surfacing of five ancient
Siva temples partly in sand dunes along the Pennar river in Jyothi village
in Siddhavatam mandal has led to the discovery that as many as 108 Siva
temples have been buried under sand at the place. Besides the rare presence
of 108 Siva temples dating back to 1213 AD, a silver chariot and a diamond
crown said to have been presented to the Jyothi Siddhavateswara Swamy temple
by Kakatiya Rudrama Devi were present in Jyothi village, according to
inscriptions discovered. The 108 Siva temples were said to have been
constructed by King Rakkasi Gangarayadeva and his aide, Jantimanayakudu, in
the 12th century and were buried under sand during the Muslim Kings' rule,
says Pothuraju Venkata Subbanna, a retired headmaster and chairman of
several temples in Siddhavatam mandal. The main temple is called Jyothi
Siddheswara Swamy temple. A life-size inscription in the temple has a
swastika symbol on the left and the Sun, Moon and a sturdy bull on the
right.
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9. Evidence of Ancient Sea Trade Between Rome and India
New Proof Of Ancient India's Flourishing Trade With Rome
By Anand Parthasarathy, KOCHI
BERENIKE, EGYPT, June 12, 2002:
Excavation of an ancient seaport on Egypt's
Red Sea found spices, gems and other exotic cargo showing, archaeologists,
that say sea trade linking the Roman Empire and India 2,000 years ago
rivaled the legendary Silk Road at times. The project funded by Dutch and
American agencies, at Berenike, on the Sudan-Egypt border along the shores
of the Red Sea, has revealed that the location was the southern-most,
military sea port of the Roman Empire in the first century A.D. and the key
transfer point for a flourishing trade with India, whose magnitude was
hitherto not known. A grueling nine-year-long international archaeological
expedition in Egypt, has unearthed the most extensive evidence so far, of
vigorous trade between India and the "Roman Empire" 2000 years ago.
Co-directors of the dig, Willeke Wendrich, of the University of California,
Los Angeles and Steven Sidebotham, of the University of Delaware,
report
their findings in the July issue of the journal Sahara. In major findings to
be published in the July issue of the monthly scientific journal Sahara and
announced today at the archaeological database website of the expedition ,
researchers report having unearthed the largest single cache of black pepper
" about 8 kg " ever excavated from a Roman dig. They were able to establish
that this variety was only grown in antiquity in South India.
They also
uncovered numerous beams hewn of teak, a wood indigenous to India, and
Indian sailcloth. Because of the drier weather of Egypt, the Berenike site
preserved organic substances from India that have never been found in the
more humid subcontinent, like sail cloth, matting and baskets dating to AD
30-AD 70, all traces of which were destroyed in the more humid climate of
the subcontinent. In one of the surprise findings, the archaeologists also
report stumbling on a Roman "trash dump'' containing well-preserved evidence
of Indian `batik' work and ancient printed textiles as well as ceramics.
Indian pottery found in the 30-acre site suggests Indian traders lived in
the town amid a hodgepodge of other cultures. Archaeologists found evidence
that a dozen different scripts, including Tamil-Brahmi, Greek, Latin and
Hebrew, were used in Berenike. Elizabeth Lyding Will, an emeritus professor
of classics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, said the finds
help add "a whole new dimension to Roman archaeology." "It looks to me that
India was some sort of engine driving Roman trade during the early empire.
It could have been the chief focus of their trade."
All this leads archaeologists, Willeke Wendrich of the University of
California, and Steven Sidebotham of the Delaware University to conclude in
next month's paper that a "Spice Route'' from India to Rome, existed long
before the better known "Silk Route'' to China. They suggest that the goods
traveled from the west coast Indian ports to Berenike by ships in the
monsoon months, and were then transported by camel and Nile river boats, to
the Mediterranean port of Alexandria, from where ships conveyed the cargo to
Rome by sea. This route was preferred for almost 50 years because the
alternative land route through what is today Pakistan and Iran, passed
through countries hostile to the Roman Empire. "We talk about globalism as
if it were the latest thing'', Wendrich is quoted by the Associated Press as
saying, but trade was going on in antiquity on a scale that is truly
impressive''.
The Berenike route was finally abandoned in AD 500 probably
after a plague epidemic. The new findings are said to establish what was
long suspected - the central role that India played in the maritime trade
2000 years ago.
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10. The Shiva Lingams Found in Vietnam
VIETNAM, June 23, 2001
A Siva Lingam monument, a relic from the lost
Champa
Kingdom, stands proudly at the My Son site in Vietnam. Images depicting the
Yoni and Lingam can be found in Hindu-influenced cultures across the entire
Asian region. But the Cham religion in Vietnam has taken these images and
fashioned them into a distinctive and different form. The Lingam and Yoni in
the Cham religion differ from their Indian progenitors and their presence in
Vietnam is evidence of the profound influence of Indian culture and religion
in the country. It is also proof of the strong sense of identity of the
Cham
people, who borrowed from Hinduism and created statues and temples with a
style all of their own. Cham Linga sculptures generally have a flat top,
with only a few featuring spherical shapes. They are generally found in
three different styles: square; another in two parts, one cylindrical and
one square; and another has a cylindrical upper, the middle is octagonal and
the bottom is square. The Linga and Yoni are usually constructed as one
structure. Traditionally only one Linga is attached to the Yoni, but in some
Cham sculptures many Linga can be found on a single Yoni platform. The
differences between Cham sculptures and those found elsewhere in the Hindu
world demonstrate subtle changes from their origins.
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11. India was the First Source of Diamonds
USA, July 16, 2002:
"Diamond" comes from the Greek "adamao" meaning, "I
tame" or "I subdue," according to this story which appeared on the
CBS
program, "60 Minutes II." The adjective "adamas" was used to describe the
hardest substance known, and eventually became synonymous with diamond.
Knowledge of diamond starts in India, where it was first mined. The word
most generally used for diamond in Sanskrit is "vajra," "thunderbolt,"
and
"Indrayudha," "Indra's weapon." Because
Indra is the warrior God from Vedic
scriptures, the foundation of Hinduism, the thunderbolt symbol indicates
much about the Indian conception of diamond. Early descriptions of diamond
date to the 4th century BC. By then diamond was a valued material. The
earliest known reference to diamond is a Sanskrit manuscript by a minister
in a northern Indian dynasty. The work is dated from 320-296 BCE. Today
diamonds are mined in about 25 countries, on every continent but Europe and
Antarctica. For 1,000 years, starting in roughly the 4th century BCE, India
was the only source of diamonds. Diamond production has increased enormously
in the 20th century. India's maximum production, perhaps 50,000 to 100,000
carats annually in the 16th century, is very small compared to the current
production of around 100 million carats. Major production is now dominated
by Australia, Botswana, Russia, and Congo Republic (Zaire), but South Africa
is still a major producer, in both volume and value.
More Information
HERE
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12. Ancient Hindu Temple Discovered in Indonesia
Deutsche Press - Agentur
WEST JAVA, INDONESIA, September 3, 2002:
A Cangkuang villager hunting for
termites under a tree discovered a sharp hand-carved stone. Further
investigation revealed that the location was the site of an ancient Hindu
temple. The site is especially significant as the archeologists are hoping
to obtain more information about the Sundanese kingdoms in
West Java. Tony Djubiantono, head of West Java's Bandung Archeology Agency says, "Based on a
preliminary finding of various remains there are indications that this is a
Hindu temple built in the seventh or eighth century." The article says,
"Buddhism and Hinduism were Indonesia's first world religions, popular among
the first kingdoms of Java until the 14th and 15th centuries when Islam
started to gain a greater foothold in the archipelago." Djubiantono further
describes the finding of such a temple, "as spectacular and very significant
for recovering the missing history of the so-called Tatar Sunda, or Sunda
territory."
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13. A 7,000-year-old temple in Malleswaram
The Times of India - Internet Edition
October 16, 2001
Malleswaram boasts of many temples, but none is so shrouded in controversy
and mystery as this one is. The ancient Nandeeshwara temple at
Malleswaram
17th cross was discovered only three years ago, but it has stood for 7,000
years on that spot. Being buried over the years hasn't diminished its aura
at all. It still draws huge crowds all day.
According to residents living nearby, the temple was completely buried and
the land above it was a flat stretch. "Three years ago, a politician tried
to sell this plot. But people objected on the grounds that the land should
first be dug through to see if they could find something," says the priest,
Ravi Shankar Bhatt. And so when they started digging up the land, they found
buried underneath, this temple. It was in perfect condition, preserved by
the thick layers of soil.
This underground temple was enclosed within a stone cut courtyard supported
by ancient stone pillars. At the far end of the courtyard, a Nandi was
carved out of a black stone with eyes painted in gold. From its mouth a
clear stream of water flowed directly on to a Shivalinga made out of the
same black stone at a lower level. There were steps that led to a small pool
in the centre of the courtyard where the water flowed and collected. The
pool's centre had a 15 feet deep whirlpool.
More information
HERE
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14. Satellite Photos of the Bridge Between Ramesvaram and Sri Lanka
When I had visited Ramesvaram several years ago, and more recently in 2002,
I was told that you could see the line of rocks that lead to Ramaesvaram to
Sri Lanka that had been the bridge that Lord Rama had built for him and his
army to go to Lanka in search for Sita. These rocks were said to be just
under the surface of the water. Then when these photos were published, I was
not surprised, but nonetheless fascinated by the relevancy of what they
revealed. The captions of the photos, as found on Indolink.com:
Space images taken by NASA (from the NASA Digital Image Collection) reveal
the mysterious ancient bridge in the Palk Strait between India and Sri
Lanka. The recently discovered bridge, currently named as Adamīs Bridge, is
made of chain of shoals, c.18 mi (30 km) long.
The unique curvature of the bridge 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 a primitive age, about
17,50,000 years ago and the bridge's age is also almost equivalent.
This information is a crucial aspect for an insight into the mysterious
legend called Ramayana, which was supposed to have taken place in Treta Yuga
(more than 17,00,000 years ago).
In this epic, there is a mentioning about a bridge, which was built between
Rameshwaram (India) and the Sri Lankan coast under the supervision of a
dynamic and invincible figure called Rama who is supposed to be the
incarnation of the Supreme Being.
This information may not be of much importance to the archeologists who are
interested in exploring the origins of man, but it is sure to open the
spiritual gates of the people of the world to have come to know an ancient
history linked to the Indian mythology.
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15. A 40,000 Year Old Cave Painting
This is said to be a
40,000-year-old cave painting seen on a white silica
sandstone rock shelter depicting existence of human civilization is seen in
Banda district 800 kilometers(500 miles) southeast of New Delhi, India,
Sunday, Oct. 27, 2002. The painting shows hunting by cave men in Paleolithic
age. These caves were discovered recently. (AP Photo/Shekhar Srivastava)
Notice the horse with rider.
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16. Stealth Bomber from Shastra
From the Deccan Herald, Dated Nov. 2, 2002
By Rajesh Parishwad, DH News Service BANGALORE, Nov 1:
A glass-like material based on technology found in an ancient Sanskrit text
that could ultimately be used in a stealth bomber (the material cannot be
detected by radar) has been developed by a research scholar of Benaras Hindu
University.
Prof M.A.Lakshmithathachar, Director of the Academy of Sanskrit Research in Melkote, near Mandya, told
Deccan Herald that tests conducted with the
material showed radars could not detect it. "The unique material cannot be
traced by radar and so a plane coated with it cannot be detected using
radar," he said.
The academy had been commissioned by the Aeronautical Research Development
Board, New Delhi, to take up a one-year study, 'Non-conventional approach to
Aeronautics,' on the basis of an old text, Vaimanika Shastra, authored by Bharadwaj.
Though the period to which Bharadwaj belonged to is not very clear,
Prof Lakshmithathachar noted, the manuscripts might be more than 1,000 years old.
The project aims at deciphering the Bharadwaj's concepts in aviation.
However, Prof Lakshmithathachar was quick to add that a collaborative effort
from scholars of Sanskrit, physics, mathematics and aeronautics is needed to
understand Bharadwaj's shastra.
The country's interest in aviation can be traced back over 2,000 years to
the mythological era and the epic Ramayana tells of a supersonic-type plane,
the Pushpak Vimana, which could |. "The shastra
has interesting information on
vimanas (airplanes), different types of
metals and alloys, a spectrometer and even flying gear," the professor said.
The shastra also outlines the metallurgical method to prepare an alloy very
light and strong which could withstand high pressure.
He said Prof Dongre of BHU had brought out a research paper Amshubondhini
after studying Vaimanika Shastra and developed the material. "There have
been sporadic efforts to develop aeronautics in the country's history. There
has never been a holistic approach to it. Vaimanika Shastra throws up many
interesting details that can benefit Indian aviation program," the
director added.
Prof Lakshmithathachar rubbished the tendency among certain scholars to
discount such ancient Sanskrit texts and said, "Why would our scholars want
to cheat future generations? Unless it was important, nothing was written in
the old days. The fact that there exists manuscripts indicates the
significance." The academy has also embarked on other projects including
'Indian concept of Cosmology' with Indian Space Research
Organization, 'Iron
& Steel in Ancient India - A Historical Perspective' with the Steel
Authority of India Limited, and 'Tools & Technology of Ancient India.'
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17. Koreans Search for Roots in Ayodhya
From: Vinay Krishna Rastogi, Lucknow
AYODHYA :
A high-power delegation from South Korea visited
Ayodhya to revive
two millennia-old ties with the temple town. The South Koreans discovered
that a Princess of Ayodhya was married to Korean King Suro in the first
century CE. Suro was the King of Kimhay kingdom or the present Korea. The
Princess was married to the Korean King at the age of 16. The Koreans
believe that the Princess was the mother of the descendants who unified
various Korean kingdoms in the 7th century CE. Since the first century CE
her descendants prospered and became the largest clan in Korea, known as
the Karak, whose members had been highly distinguished people. The present
President of South Korea, Kim Dae-Jung, believes that he is also a
descendant of the Great Princess of Ayodhya. She is regarded as the most
blessed queen of Korea in the last 2,000 years, and Koreans believe that
this could be due to the religious significance of the great temple city of
Ayodhya where Lord Rama was born. The Counsel General of Korea said "I hope
historians will be able to learn more about this great ancient Hindu city."
He urged the ex-Raja of Ayodhya BPN Misra to strengthen the cultural ties
between Ayodhya and South Korea.
More information
HERE
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