PR Srinivasa Iyengar,, an erudite Scholar in Tamil had written an excellent Book on The History of the Tamils.
He was also a staunch Si Vaishnava.
When he writes on History he divests himself of his beliefs and examines theories and analyses facts.
He had treated Legends associated with Tamil/Tamils and then Epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata on this touchstone of facts.
He strips down the poetic descriptions in The Ramayana ,and arrives at a firm conclusion that The Ramayana did take place.
He took the premise that there a Prince, whose wife was taken away by a King of Lanka and he was defeated by the prince.
The barest fact has been tested and proved historically.
If something is proved historically one should have monuments, records to back up.
There are evidences to prove that the Ramayana was real, Astronomy, Literary references,monuments.
I have written articles on The Ashoka Vatika,Ravana’s Pushpaka Vimana Runway.Pushpaka Vimana Axle,where Sita was imprisoned, where she took Bath in Lanka.
I am providing a Photo Essay on some of the Historical Remains of the Ramayana.
Please read my detailed posts on each of these topics.
Sita’s Footprint,Lepakshi.
Jatayu Rocks,Jatayu,a huge bird, an associate of Lord Ram, staked his existence attempting to recover Sita (Ram’s wife) from her abductor, the evil spirit ruler Ravana. The rock is belieived to stamp the spot where the mortally wounded Jatayu fellRama Foot print, Chitrakoot.Ravana Footprints.Footprints of Hanuman.When they say “Hanuman set Lanka on fire” what they actually mean is he set fire to certain parts of Raavan’s palace. The ground here is said to be somewhat black which is nothing like the surrounding area. The picture below is from Ussangoda, which according to mythology was the landing strip for Raavan’s Pushpak VimaanWhen Raavan brought Sita to Lanka, he first took her to this place called Sita Kotuwa, which is now a tourist spot in Sri Lanka.Ashoka Vatika.Sita’s Pond where Sita took bathWhere Sita Took Agnipariksha.
While looking for the evidence proving the Ramayana, I was also looking from the angles of Ravana’s Legacy, Sri Lanka sites referred to by Valmiki in The Ramayana.
I have found historical sites in Sri Lanka corroborating the Ramayana, the places have Sinhalese Names with Ramayana background.
I have posted an article on the places where Sita was shifted by Ravana after being kidnapped by him.
In this article i have posted information on what food was offered to Sita,Ravana’s Pushpak Vimana Service Centre, the place Sita rearranged her hair and the secret Tunnel network of Ravana.
More information may be had at the link provided in the Post.
Place where Lord Ram sent the Brahmastra to Kill RavanaPushpaka Vimana Repair Centre
Gurulu Potha,Lankapura:
There was an aircraft repair center in the capital city. This place is known as Gurulupotha. In Valmiki’s depiction King Ravana‘s Vimana resembled a huge peacock. The Vimana in Sinhala language means Dhandu Monara which is known as ‘flying peacock’, and hence the name Gurulupotha, which means ‘parts of birds’.
Where Sita Threw Rice balls around
Kondakalai.
Kondakalai like many other cities and villages in Sri Lanka also derives its name from the Ramayana, when King Ravana took Sitadevi in a chariot to Ashoka Vatika her hairs got deranged because of the speed of the chariot. Konda kalai in tamil means deranging of hair. Till date the villagers live with legacy of this event.
When King Ravana carried Sitadevi on his chariot to Ashoka Vatika, he provided her with vitaminised rice balls for refreshment. But Sitadevi who did not want to consume anything provided by King Ravana, scattered the rice balls all over the place during her journey, and they are found till date along the chariot track. The local people call these rice balls Sita Gooli and they prescribe them for their children as a cure for stomach disorders and headaches. The farmers too keep them in their cash boxes or grain pots for prosperity. It is claimed that carbon dated testing has been done in Tokyo and Delhi on these rice balls and ascertained to be more than five thousand years old.
Sentry Point of Ravana
Laggala.
The cartels behind the Dunuvila lake are called Laggala. Laggala is derived form the Sinhala term Elakke Gala, which when translated into English gives us the meaning Target Rock. Laggala served as a sentry point to the King Ravana’s army and it was from this rock the first Glimpse of Lord Rama’s army was sighted and informed to King Ravana. This hill is geographically the highest part of the northern region of King Ravana’s city and on a clear day the north east side that is Thiru Koneshwaran and north west side that is Talai mannar could be seen even today. King Ravana is believed to have done meditation on this rock and prayed Lord shiva at Thiru Koneshwaran from this point.
It is here that King Ravana was killed by Lord Rama’s Brahmaastharam. The top of Laggala is flat and is believed to have been hit by the Brahmaastharam.
Read my post on the technology used in the Pushpak Vimana.
What route did Ravana take while kidnapping Sita and how did he move her in Lanka?
As far as I could check information as to how Sita was abducted is limited Ravana taking her in Pushpak Vimana and later fighting with Jatayu and reaches Lanka, in Valmiki Ramayana.( Corrections to this welcome with slokas).
Ashoka Vatika, Asoka Van where Sita was imprisoned.
But Buddhist Legends of Lanka give a detailed description about how Sita was moved in Lanka.
“this vehicle landed at Werangatota, about 10 km from Mahiyangana, east of the hill station of Nuwara Eliya, in central Sri Lanka. Sita was then taken to Goorulupota, now known as Sitakotuwa, where Ravana’s wife, Mandodari, lived. Seetakotuwa is about 10 km from Mahiyangana on the road to Kandy. Sita was housed in a cave at Sita Eliya, on the Colombo-Nuwara Eliya road. There is a temple for her there. She is believed to have bathed in the mountain stream flowing beside the temple.
North of Nuwara Eliya, in Matale district, is Yudhaganapitiya, where the Rama-Ravana battle took place. According to a Sinhalese legend, Dunuwila is the place from where Rama shot the ‘Bramshira’ arrow that killed Ravana. The Sri Lankan king was chalking out his battle plans in a place called Lakgala when the killer arrow struck him. Lakgala is a rock from the top of which Ravana could see north Sri Lanka clearly. It served as a watchtower following the expectation that Rama would invade the island to rescue his consort. Ravana’s body was placed on the rock at Yahangala for his subjects to pay their last respects. Since Ravana was a Brahmin, it was considered a sin to kill him, even in battle. To wash off the sin, Rama performedpujaat the Munneswaram temple in Chilaw, 80 km north of Colombo. At Manaweri, north of Chilaw, there is a temple gifted by Rama.
According to another legend from the southern part of Sri Lanka, Sita was actually detained in the mountainous forest area of Rumassala near Galle. When she fell ill, Hanuman wanted to bring some medicinal plants from the Dronagiri mountain in the Himalayan chain to cure her. Since he could not find the plants, he brought the whole mountain and dropped it at Unawatuna, which is near the present Galle harbour. Unawatuna means ‘here it fell’. Indeed, the area is known for its medicinal plants.
At Ramboda, in the central highlands, known for its massive waterfalls, a temple for Hanuman has now sprung up as the belief is that he had visited Sita who was incarcerated there. Legend has it that the Koneswaram temple, in the eastern district of Trincomalee, was gifted by Lord Shiva to Ravana, as he was an ardent devotee. In the famous Buddha Vihara at Kelani, near Colombo, there is a representation of Rama handing over captured Sri Lanka to Ravana’s brother, Vibheeshana, who sided with him in his conflict with Ravana._Dandu Monara Yanthraya.
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Ravana using a golden deer as a decoy visited Sita when she was alone in the guise of an old sage, abducted and brought her toWeragantotain Lanka in his plane, the Pushpaka Vimana.
Weragantotameans the Place of Aircraft landing in Sinhala. This is the first place Sita Devi was brought to Lankapura (capita city of king Rāvana).
Sita Devi was kept at queen Mandothari’s palace at Lankapura. The place Sita was held captive is calledSita Kotuwa (also known as Seetha Kotuwa); which means Sita’s Fort in Sinhala. It is believed Rāvana had an aircraft repair centre atGurulupothaclose toSita Kotuwa.Gurulupothameans Parts of Birds in Sinhala.
Ravana moved Sita fromSita KotuwatoAshok Vatikathe salubrious garden in the mountains. The route too was said to be spectacularly beautiful, as Ravana wanted to show Sita the beauty of his kingdom. The Chariot Path atop the mountain range is still visible. The Sita Tear Pond close to theChariot Pathis believed to have been formed by Sita Devi’s tears. Visitors could also see the famedSita Flowerswhich are endemic to this area.
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