I pity the fisherman whose life will be destroyed. Why cant the TN govt look for tourism development in the Ram Sethu bridge, already due to the contrevarsy pilgrims ar flocking the site in large numbers, thanks to Karunanidhi and Balu.
( Posted: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 09:34 )
birju
People only remember the very good or the very bad. Leftist historians have chosen to rubbish archaeology, literature and local tradition.
So my fellow readers of this board, enjoy htis well written piece and see how the leftist ans pseudo-seculars are hell bent on destroying anyhting that is sacred to the Hindu faith
jai Hind
( Posted: Monday , September 24, 2007 at 17:00 )
birju
""Time, in India, is relative. Some places have commemorative temples; others commemorate the visit in local folklore. But all agree that Rama was going from or to Ayodhya. Why doubt connections when literature, archaeology and local tradition meet? Why doubt the connection between Adam's Bridge and Rama, when nobody else in Indian history has claimed its construction? Why doubt that Rama traveled through Dandakaranya or Kishkinda, where local non-Vedic tribes still narrate tales of Rama? Why doubt that he was born in and ruled over Ayodhya?
Major settlements, including temples, were renovated several times: restoration is a 20th century development. When the main image was made of perishable materials, it was replaced by stone. For example, we know that the wooden image of Varadaraja Perumal of Kanchipuram was replaced by a stone image, for the earlier image is still preserved in a water tank. The present architecture belongs to the sixteenth century Vijayanagara style. Yet the temple was known to have existed before the Pallava period (seventh century). This is the story of many sacred sites in India. This happened to several Rama temples too.
Rama's memory lives on because of his extraordinary life and his reign, which was obviously a period of great peace and prosperity, making Ramarajya a reference point. People only remember the very good or the very bad. Leftist historians have chosen to rubbish archaeology, literatu
( Posted: Monday , September 24, 2007 at 16:59 )
birju
"The presence of the Vanaras or monkeys, including Hanuman, has made the authenticity of the epic suspect. But this is the most plausible part of the story. The Vanaras were obviously tribes with the monkey totem: after all, the Ramayana belongs to a period when most of India was jungle with tribal forest-dwellers. India still contains several tribes with animal totems. An early issue of the Bellary District (now in Karnataka) Gazetteer gives us the interesting information that the place was inhabited by the Vanara people. The Jaina Ramayana mentions that the banner of the Vanaras was the vanaradhvaja (monkey flag), thereby reinforcing the totemic theory. Similarly, Jatayu would have been the king of the vulture-totem tribe and Jambavan of the bear-totem tribe.
Was Lanka the modern Sri Lanka? One school of thought places Lanka on the Godavari in Central India, citing the limited descriptions of the South in the latter half of the epic. Narada does not mention Panchavati or Rameshwaram, but refers to Kishkinda and Lanka. Living in the north, it is unlikely that Valmiki knew the south. But Valmiki would know the difference between a sea and a river. Lanka, says the author definitively, was across the sea.
All the places visited by Rama still retain memories of his visit, as if it happened yesterday. Time, in India, is relative. Some places have commemorative temples; others commemorate the visit in local folklore.
( Posted: Monday , September 24, 2007 at 16:59 )
birju
"Sugriva lived in Rishyamukha on the banks of the Pampa (Tungabhadra); Sabari probably also lived a hermitage there. Rama and the Vanara army left Kishkinda to reach Rameshwaram, where the Vanaras built a bridge to Lanka from Dhanushkodi on Rameshwaram Island to Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. While parts of the bridge - known as Adam's Bridge - are still visible, NASA's satellite has photographed an underwater man-made bridge of shoals in the Palk Straits, connecting Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar. On his return from Sri Lanka, Rama worshiped Shiva at Rameshwaram, where Sita prepared a Linga out of sand. It is still one of the most sacred sites of Hinduism.
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."
( Posted: Monday , September 24, 2007 at 16:58 )
birju
In 249 BC, Ashoka erected a pillar in Lumbini with an inscription referring to the visits by both Rama and Buddha to Lumbini. Ashoka was much nearer in time to Rama and would be well aware of his facts.
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 the brothers performed the last rites for their father. Thereafter, the three wandered through Dandakaranya in Central India, described as a land of Rakshasas, 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 throbs with sites and events of Rama's sojourn, such as Tapovan where they lived, Ramkund where Rama and Sita used to bathe, Lakshmankund, Lakshmana's bathing area, and several caves in the area associated with their lives in the forest.
Rama then moved to Panchavati near Bhadrachalam (AP), where Ravana abducted Sita. The dying Jatayu 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, where every rock and river is associated with Rama. Anjanadri, near Hospet, was the birthplace of Hanuman (Anjaneya); "
( Posted: Monday , September 24, 2007 at 16:57 )
Demo-crazy
I read all four parts of this series and see non-BJP, non-VHP folks from NGOs, Scientists, and fishermen too OPPOSING the Sethu Samudram Project.
Thanks for the neutral reporting. What do our politicians do next? If not on the religiousity, will they accept the plea for stoppage of this work for purely economic, ecological, and security considerations which are more important in physical sense?
Karunanidhi and those aligned to him have shown utter disregard for the religious feelings of the common people. They do not have any guts to question such beliefs that exist in Christianity or Islam. They use caste and religion to hilt when it suits them. They are for caste / religion based reservations while talking of secularism all the time. They have no qualms in subsidizing Haz pilgrimage by Muslims. They even see off such travellers while conveniently forgetting that this is a religious tour supported by state. (Its another matter while Islam itself forbids such travel when its undertaken with support of state or other donors)
( Posted: Monday , September 24, 2007 at 13:20 )
ullash kumar
Thanks for bringing out the truth Bahar. good show, keep it up
( Posted: Sunday , September 23, 2007 at 21:24 )
Dr.M.A.Padmanabha Rao
The first scientific research article on Nala Sethu
NALA SETHU (Adam's Bridge)or NASA's Hanuman Bridge represents a prehistoric Marvel of the World, reminder of ancient Indian glory,a demonstration of unparallel engineering skill of non-humans,and magnificient marine archeological structural evidence for existence of Rama, and Vanaras, Golanguls, and Rukshyas,distinctly different civilizations existed then. The author, for the first time provided Sethu as marine archeological evidence on existence of Vanara, Golangul and Ruskshya civilizations parallel to humans, and of Rama under whose commandership the Sethu was made. The insight can be an eye opener to historians, anthropologists, archeologists, paleontologists and a treasure house to researchers. The most ancient, longest (over 60 km long) and widest (over 5 km wide) land mass or bridge ever built in the world, in shortest time, just in 5 days on 20 to 200 meter deep sea connecting two nations ancient India (Bharat) with ancient Lanka (Sri Lanka) by non-humans could be nothing but a prehistoric wonder, more amazing than China wall, and seven wonders of the world. Nala Sethu represents ancient India's glory and its heritage. It's world heritage too. Nala Sethu establishes the fact Vanaras, Golanguls and Rukshyas, distinct species existed during Ramayana period, were much superior to humans in size, warfare, engineering skills! It is the hope that UNESCO would designate one day the Nala Sethu as a World Heritage Site. http://www.angelfire.com/sc3/1010/VARADHI.htm
M.A.Padmanabha Rao Ph.D (AIIMS) Professor of Medical Physics, Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Jolly Grant (2001) Head, Radiation Safety Group& Deputy Director, Defence Laboratory (DRDO), Jodhpur, Rajasthan (1983-97) Lecturer in Medical Physics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 1964-1983). raomap@yahoo.com; Delhi Ph: 91-11-28534251 or 9871257964
( Posted: Sunday , September 23, 2007 at 05:23 )
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