While India's top Leaders are busy in shooting with their bows and arrows as if they were real Shri Ramas, on the occasion of RamLila Celebrations (Dusshara - Vijaya Dasami), there are at least six places in India where Ravana is less despised, and RamLila is not celebrated.
BANE OF INDIA
Most of our Leaders do not bother to study Valmiki Ramayana in depth, and try to analyse the relationships among mythology, history, and folklore, with an objective of clearing the gray areas surrounding Shri Rama and Ravana. Consequently, we can't distinguish between Leaders, and illiterate and semi-literate Indians.
In fact, the bane of India is, its fraternal squabbles. Both Rama and Ravana are our Kings only. Both have some great venerable qualities and some equally despicable shortcomings.
Ostensibly our beloved Prime Minister's RamLila bow's arrows are directed towards the Terrorists of Pakistan. But why from Lucknow? Why not from Rajasthan or Vidisa? From this one gets an impression, his RamLila arrows are also directed at Sonia-Rahul, Mulayam-Akhilesh, and Mayavati.
GREATNESSES AND WEAKNESSES OF RAMA AND RAVANA
Rama's apparent greatness is his devotion to his father. To fulfil his father Dasaratha's promise to his queen Kaikeyi, Rama went on a 14 year exile to forest. It is the chief reason for his worship. Back to Ravana, he is a great devotee of Lord Shiva.
Shri Rama's weakness is his over-enthusiasm and overzealousness to enforce the four-caste system, which places Priests (Brahmins) and Warriors (Kshatriyas) on the top, and oppresses the lower castes, particularly the Sudras and outcastes. For proof, my readers can carefully study the story of SambUka vadha (Slaying of SambUka by Rama) in Uttara Kanda (Last Book of Valmiki Ramayana.
Ravana's main guilt is abduction of Sita. "Lust towards wife of another person", is shown as his guilt. Nobody will or can support a person who abducts somebody's wife, confines her to a garden, and teases her. Probably, Ravana might have deserved his death in the hands of Rama. But, Ravana seems to have his 'revenge' as his primary goal, and lust towards Sita seems to be a secondary goal or just an intermediate tool.
RAMA'S INTRUSION INTO RAVANA'S EMPIRE
Kaikeyi, seems to have had a sinister design that Rama should be killed by Ravana. For this reason only she wanted Rama to be sent to a forest. Ayodya was a City Kingdom, and not an Empire. Yet, on the other side of Sarayu river (opposite bank of Ayodhya City), there was a forest. SRL (Sita-Rama-Lakshmana) could have been dropped in that Sarayu forest.
But why were SRL made to cross Ganga River, with the help of Tribal King Guha? Why did SRL make a bamboo+leaves+creepers-basket-country-boat and cross even River Yamuna, and walked upto Mandakini (Gupt Godavari)?
Probable Answer: If SRL were dropped in nearby Sarayu Forest within the Dasaratha's small Kingdom, Rama Lakshmanas may mobilise people + forestdwellers there, raise and lead a rebellion to Ayodhya. Kaikeyi didn't want Rama as a pakkalO ballem (Telugu idiom meaning: javelin in bed. A javelin in bed can pierce into the belly of a sleeping person and can be a source of constant peril to him). Kaikeyi apparently wanted Rama to be sent deep into forests i.e. Ravana's Empire, and be killed there by Ravana's forces.
SITA'S ABDUCTION AS A WAR STRATEGY, AND NOT AS AN OBJECT OF LUST
Shri Rama, at the orders of his father and step-mother, intruded into the kingdom of Ravana. After entering Ravana's Empire, Rama killed the Ravana's Chieftains Khara, DUshaNa, and their 14,000 followers. Single-handedly it is not possible. It may even be 14 men or 140 men, unless Rama and Lakshmana had guns to kill 14,000 people in a go. To kill 14,000 people with dars, it is just impossible. But it is the version of Valmiki Ramayana. When a King sees his 14,000 followers killed, how does he feel? On hearing the news of death of his 14,000 men, King Ravana's blood might have boiled. As a strategy of war, he might have chosen abduction of Sita as a method. I am not supporting Ravana's action as something viruous action. What I mean to say is, that as a King who has lost his 14,000 men, he has sufficient reasons to have a grouse against Rama. Cutting the nose and ears of his sister SUrp-nakha (Sharp-nailed) by Lakshmana, and Rama's acquiescence might have had rubbed with salt, the injuries of Ravana.
Thus, the story of Rama-Ravana battle becomes a story of bilateral guilt, and not unilateral guilt of Ravana, and administration of punishment by Rama. After the vanquishment of Ravana, kings belonging to Shri Rama's clan (Solar Dynasty or sUrya vamsa), sent ballad singers and poets to sing the glories of Ramayana to various places in India and abroad. A part of Ramayana singing strategy was to glorify Rama, and undermine Ravana, though both were Indian kings of equal calibre and valour, and kings of mixed race (Latvinian/Mediterranean Aryan + Native Indian). Every village was encouraged to worship Sita, Rama and Lakshmana as Gods, and celebrate RamLila. Even during Rama's life time, Valmiki and his disciples sang the glories of Rama. Ravana's followers started dwindling in numbers. Finally we have the above six places, who do Ravana worship on a low key.
21st CENTURY VIDISHA
Incidentally, Ravangaon is in Vidisa which is the Constituency of our Foreign Affairs Minister Ms. Sushma Swaraj. Though Ms. Sushma Swaraj is considered politically as a member of Mr. L.K. Advani's Camp, both Ms. Swaraj, and Mr. Advani seem to have re-conciled themselves to be subordinates of Mr. Narendra Modi. As a Foreign Affairs Miniser, Ms. Sushma Swaraj does not seem to be playing her role in FULL, like the Hillary Clinton of Obama's Administration, or the Condolezza Rice of the Bush Administration. Her role just seems to be shaking hands with some foreign dignitories, for whom Mr. Narendra Modi could not spare his hands to shake, and releasing photos to the Media. Hence, while our revered PM Shri Narendra Modi is our Shri Ramachandra of the 21st Century, we can't give the role of Mandodari or Sita to Ms. Sushma Swaraj, though Vidisha, or nearby Chitrakoot fall in her Kingdom or in the vicinity of her kingdom.
Why a Great Rescuer could not undertake a small Rescue?
Ms. Sushma Swaraj has a reputation of a Great Rescuer. My readers may recall, how she came to the Rescue of Mr. Lalit Modi, a fugitive of India Premier League Notoreity match-fixing. Now and then she tweets, her efforts of rescuing somebody or other, using her good Offices as Foreign Affairs Minister. But, under her own Ministry, a Passport is being denied to Ms. Jashoda Ben, an innocent Retd. Govt. Teacher of Gujarat State, by the Gujarat Passsport Authorities, on very flimsy grounds of non-submission of marriage certificate. Can Ms. Sushma Swaraj, rescue Ms. Jashoda Ben, by issuing instructions to Gujarat Passport Authorities, to show some compassion to the 21st Century Mother Sita of India?
AN APPROXIMATE MAP OF RAVANA'S EMPIRE/kingdom
If we examine some places in Central India, pertaining Shri Rama's fourteen years exile in forests, abduction of Sita on a donkey-driven cart by Ravana, the search by Vanaras of Sita, the movement of the Rama's army of Vanara Army, we can't escape thinking about the location of Ravana's Empire, Ravana's Capital City Lanka that they cannot be in Sri Lanka, and that everything might have taken place in Central India itelf-- Rajasthan in West, UP, Bihar in North, Orissa in East, Maharashtra, Telangana and A.P. in South. Here is an approximate map of Ravana's empire, drawn by ybrao-a-donkey. Places are not upto scale. All the places could not be included owing to a space constraint.
Here is a link to a news item dated 22nd Oct. 2016 (exactly one year back i.e. last Dussehra), Click to go to http://www.india.com/top-n/6-ravana-temples-in-india-you-need-to-visit-atleast-once-in-your-life-609985/. This web-page not only lists the six places which contain Ravana Temples, but also their photos. According to this web-page, there are six Ravana Temples in India which do not celebrate RamLila, and worship Ravana:
1. 1. Bisarkha. This is 30 km. from Noida, New Delhi. Reputation: Birthplace of Ravana.
2. Mandore, near Jodhpur, Rajasthan. - Birth place of Mandodari, w/o Ravana.
3. Mandsaur, Eastern Rajasthan, west to Madhya Pradesh. Mandodari's place.
4. Vidisa: Ravangaon 30 km. from Vidisa City-Headquarters of Vidisa Dt., Western Madhya Pradesh.
ybrao-a-donkey: Above combination gives an impression that Ravana started from his birthplace Bisarkha near Noida, married Mandodari of Mandor-Jodhpur-Rajasthan /or/ Mandasaur-Kota-Neemuch-Rajasthan, and settled down at Vidisha, North-West Madhya Pradesh which is a Central Point between his in-laws' place, and his birth place.
I have already given Valmiki Ramayana evidence that Pushpaka aircraft is nothing but a donkey-driven-chariot.
Ravana playing his vINA a stringed classical musical instrument of India. Late Senior NTR in the Telugu film Sitarama Kalyanam.
Book 3, Chapter 64, Verse 46 and 47 3-64-46 3-64-47Kaanchana urah chaDAh ca imE
कांचन उरः चडाः इमे
piSAca vadanAha kharaaha
पिशाच वदना- खराः
bhIma rUpA mahA kAyAha
भीम रूपाः महा कायाः
kasya vA nihatA raNE.
कस्य वा निहता रणे।
Context & English gist: Ravana abducted Sita in his Pushpak Aircraft, when Sita, Rama, and Lakshmana were in the 14th year of their Exile to Forest. A kite named JaTAyu stopped Ravana's aircraft and fought with him. Ravana slew JaTAyu, and took away Sita. In that battle, the donkeys dragging the Ravana's aircraft were killed.This verse describes the donkeys which were killed by JaTAyu: kAncana uraha= they have golden necklaces. chadAh= chestplates made of gold piSAca vadanaha= they have ghastly faces.
. My Readers can also have a look at my Ramayanayb blog Click to go to post No.060 at ramayanayb.blogspot.com.
Question: Is it possible for Ravana to travel on a donkey-driven cart from Ravangaon-Vidisa to Nasik-Godavari, or Bhadrachalam-Godavari, where Panchavati, the site of crime of Ravana is believed to have taken place?
A look at my blog ramayanayb.blogspot.com will suggest that Panchavati's Godavari River may not be at Nasik-Godavari Maharashtra, or Bhadrachalam-Godavari in Andhra Pradesh-Telangana. It may be "Gupt Godavari" near Chitrakoot itself in Madhya Pradesh-UP Border, where Sita's Rasoy (Sita's kitchen) a tourist place is situated.
This Chitrakoot Gupt Godavari is called "Mandakini River", and the ghat is called Ram ghat. I shall now give a Valmiki Ramayan Verse as additional evidence to show that Mandakini is the Godavari of Sita's abduction.
For those readers who wish to see the photos of Gupt Godavari, here is a beautiful link: Click to go to Travelknots.wordpress.com etc. etc. page. This is not any sponsored advertisement which ybrao-a-donkey is canvassing here..
Valmiki Ramayana. Sanskrit Language.
Book 3 Book of Forest- Aranya Kanda. Chapter 64, Sarga 64. Verse 14, SlOka 14.
mandAkinIm janasthAnam
imam prasravaNam girim
sarvANi anucariSyAmi
yadi siitaa hi labhyate |
Context in Valmiki Ramayana, & English gist: Ravana abducted Sita. Rama and Lakshmana were searching for Sita. They came down to banks of River Godavari. Rama was speaking to Lakshmana.
We shall search this entire Mandakini River of Janasthana (Literal Meaning : place of People. Contextal Meaning: Neutral forest area not belonging to any Empire, or the Empire of Demons i.e. Ravana), these hills full of rapids and caves, if Sita could be found.
It is very clear that Mandakini of Chitrakoot is the River at the bank of which Panchavati was located and Sita was abducted by Ravana. This Mandakini-Chitrakoot can be reached by Ravana from Ravangaon-Vidisha, by a chariot driven by mules.
Whenever Rama was calling 'Godavari River', we may have to take it as 'Gupt Godavari' (some part underground) of Mandakini-Chitrakoot, and not as Nasik-Godavari or Bhadrachalam-Godavari.
There is a proverb in Telugu: "cankalo pillanu peTTukoni, UrantA vetikinaTlu. English meaning: A mother has her baby, in her arms. But somehow, she forgot about that, and searched the entire village for the child. We have our Ravangaon in Vidisa, and Gupt Godavari in Chitrakoot everything on Rajasthan-Madhya Pradesh-Uttar Pradesh borders. India is sending its tourists to Tamil Nadu to see Rama's bridge, and Sri Lank to see Ravana's Lanka. Madhya Pradesh Government appointed a Team of Researchers to trace the path of Rama to Sri Lanka. It is not clear what they found. But on net, we can see maps which indicate a Rama's route through Nasik (Maharashtra), Hampi (Karnataka), Tamil Nadu, Kerala.
From the following maps drawn by me, you can see that Jatayu/Sampati's place is also near Vidisha. Hanuman's place (Anjanadevi's place), Sabari's place are to the Eastern edges of Madhya Pradesh/Chattisgadh.
The following map by ybrao-a-donkey with the same contours, show important places which are associated with Sita, Rama, Ravana, Vanaras (Forest Dwellers):-
More analyses are to be included here. Shall shortly include.
TAILPIECE धूमकेतु తోక చుక్క
Supreme Court of India has the time and willingness to call Retired Supreme Court Justice Mr. Markandeya Katzu, in connection with the comments said to have been made by him in his blog, about Supreme Court's verdict in Saumya's case.
I have developed an OCD obsessive compulsive disease, to believe that Ms. Jashoda Ben, Gujarat is also a sort of suffering oppressed woman. It is causing me sleeplessness. She is being harassed by the Passport Office of Gujarat, by denying her legitimate right to get a passport, on flimsy grounds. It is hightime that Supreme Court takes a similar interest to take up her suffering case on a suo motu basis, and issue a Writ of Mandamus to the Gujarat Passsport Authorities to look into her case. Her case is peculiar. For no fault of hers, she is suffering.
She is not like Vijay Mallya, who is determined not to come back from London. Ms. Jashoda Ben will not remain in London for ever. She will definitely return. But, then, why create obstacles to her foreign visit, by denying her passport? The Passport Authorities may be acting according to Rules. But, one question remains. Are they acting in a similar fashion while handling the applications of other Wealthy and Influential Persons, Business Tycoons and Industrial Emperors? In Delhi Airport, though there is an Alert, one Money Launderer some Qureshi, who is facing a case of Enforcement Directorate could easily leave India, by browbeating the Air Port Officials. Then why, make an innocent woman to suffer?
To continue. सशेष. సశేషం.
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