932 (Part 2/3 of Ayodhya City) More musings on Ayodhya-2 in Kursela, Bihar.

This is in continuation of my post NO. 931 here click here to go to 931 at this blog. 2) And post No. 124 at Ramayanayb.blogspot.com Click here to go to ramayanayb.blogspot.com/search/label/124. The idea of Ayodhya-ganj, Kursela, as a probable location of Ancient Ayodhya of Rama Janma Bhumi, I have also covered partly at my post No. 138 Click here to go to ramayanayb.blogspot.com/search/label/138. I shall quote from what I wrote in that post:--

"...But, I have a strong feeling that the trio didn't move southwards. They might have moved towards sasarAm (rohtas), babhuva (kaimur), then gaya. There was a village called "gOdAvari" in gaya District.

...Did the trio take the niranjan and mOhana - falgu rivers as gOdAvari? This question taunts my mind everyday. gaya and bOdh gaya had buddhist culture. valmIki rAmAyaN described rAvaNa approaching pancavaTi in ochre robes. The gupta dynastic period, during which vAlmiki rAmAyana evolved as a tangible book from the status of a ballad or a folk song, had some stones to grind against buddhism.

...mArica's abode was his mother's abode i.e. tATaka garden (taDka) was in bIhar. One matanga hill is in rAjagrih. rAvana's mandara mounts are in bhagalpur and banka.

...The entire scenario seemed to have moved south-eastwards on the ganga river via buxar-sasarAm-gaya-patna-hajipur to bhagalpur apparently rAvana's Capital. kishkindha, we have already identified between vindhyAcal and sasarAm.

This post No. 138, at my ramayanayb was made on 24th Dec. 2012, about 5 years back. At that time I believed that there was some rivulet near Godavari village in Gaya District, which might have been the river bank for the PanchavaTi cottage of Sita Rama Lakshmanas, from where Sita was abducted by Ravana. At that time, I have tried to contact the District Officials of Gaya, Bihar, if any archaeological information can be traced. But, no help was forthcoming from their side.

At that time, I was aware, that according to legends, Sita performed the obsequies-oblations (worshipful offerings) for her Late father-in-law Dasaratha, on the banks of River Phalguni, Gaya, VishNu pada ghaTTam. I have tried to delve into the histories of the temples in Gaya, as to whether any evidence can be collected about the movements of Sita Rama Lakshmanas there during their 14 year forest exile. But, I could not achieve much, except that the story of Sita performing the worship of Dasaratha by making sand pinDas (food-bolluses) and Dasratha's hand rising from the River, as some fantastic story of Tourist Circuit, to boost the tourist importance of that place.

Recent Trigger, of a few days back: Shri Garikapati Narasimha Rao, a Renowned Telugu Scriptural Scholar, an avadhAna expert and also a TV Discourser

OM TV Channel- a Telugu TV Channel broadcasts the Discourse of Kalidasa's Raghuvamsam, by Shri Garikapati Narasimha Rao at 1 pm every day. After kalyanotsavam of Lord Venkateswara at SVBC Channel, I usually view Raghu Vamsam on Om TV. Few days back, I saw an Episode by Shri Garikapati Narasimha Rao, about Dilipa's worship of the divine cow 'kAmadhEnu'. Shri Garikapati has a gift of gab of mixing up several things in his Discourses. He also applies to the Discourse his style/mode of common sense. He is a flexible person. I do not want to compare my writings with what he discourses. Objectives differ.

In that particular episode about the divine-cow's-face worship by King Dilipa, as against the customary convention that cow's back is to be worshipped and not face, he narrated his experience of his Gaya visit. Then, he narrated the story of Sita worshipping Dasaratha at Gaya's Phalguni River. He might have heard the story from the Gaya Priests. His stress was more on IMPORTANCE OF TELLING TRUTH 'satya nishTha'. Welcome. In that story, when Shri Rama came back with necessary provisions for cooking the food-bolus (pinDam), Sita told him that she had already performed it. Shri Rama didn't believe. Sita had to call witnesses. 1. Phalguni River. The river said that it did not see Sita performing. 2. Priests of those days at Gaya. They denied having seen Sita performing the oblations. Then the third witness Akshaya vriksham, an ancient tree, which said that it has seen Sita performing the oblations. Then, Mr. Narasimha Rao how the Phalguni River and the Priests have become cursed, and how the Askhaya Vriksham glows with its glory. So far so good. I greatly appreciate and admire the effort of Shri Narasimha Rao, for the importance he gave to 'satyam'.

What I felt when I saw that Episode

Shri Narasimha Rao, who is very much conscious about the importance of 'truth', why he did not spend a few minutes about whether it could be possible for Sita, Rama, Lakshmanas visiting Gaya? The distance aerial/straight between Chitrakut and Gaya is about 500 kms. In those days, there were no roads or highways or railways. No transport, probably not even bullock carts. Sita Rama and Lakshmana were walking.

The real problem with our 'discoursers' and 'scholars' is: they do not go into the 'ROOTS' and 'ROUTES'. They take it for granted, tourist circuit's stories, which are palmed off in the name of 'sthala purANam' and 'skAndha purANam'.

Besides, Shri Rama himself was not very particular about 'sathyam' (truth). I have given some examples of verses in Valmiki Ramayana, which show that Shri Rama went back his words he gave to Kausalya and Guha, to live like a Muni (hermetic). Breakage of his words took place, the very next day he crossed River Yamuna, and entered forest enroute to Chitrakut. But our discoursers and preachers will never cover those verses, because if such inconvenient verses are analysed, they will not be invited to give a discourse. Not touching 'displeasing things' is a marketing technique. For that reason only, there is a Sanskrit maxim: 'satyam brUyAt, priyam brUyAt, na bruyAt satyam ariyam'. Tell truth, tell what is pleasing. But never tell a truth which will cause displeasure. (If we tell a truth which may cause displeasure, we may be beaten and driven ouf of the place).



Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhyakanda (last part) and Aranya Kanda are silent about SRLs going to Gaya. The general impression among Scripture Discoursers and some historians is, that SRL travelled towards South, ultimately towards Nasik/Bhadrachalam, after Sita's abduction two brother's walk to Kishkindha (according to Tourist Circuit, near Hampi, Karnataka), and finally to Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, for crossing over to Lanka.

Nowhere, we can see SRLs going to Gaya. Either that story should be incorrect, or Ayodhya, Kishkindha, Lanka everything should have taken place in Old Bihar-- with the Northernmost points Janakpuri (Nepal), Valmikinagar, Sitamarhi, Darbhanga, Tadkha (Tataka's place), Gautama's Ashram, Chapra, Sasaram, Kathihar-Kursela, Hajipur etc. etc. southwards, on the West side of Vaishali Kingdom. Then the story will spread southwards, cross River Ganga (an island on Ganga River near Bhagalpur may be Lanka), and enter into Jharkhand, which is associated with Asuras. At may ramayanayb blog, there is a discussion about width of Ravana's kingdom from Rajasthan-Kota-Indore-MP-Chattisgadh-Jharkhand-to-Bengal west-to-east. Ravana travelled on his donkeys' pulled cart-chariot called pushpaka, to abduct Sita.

If everything is in Bihar, Chitrakut-2 and Godavari-3 should also be near Gaya.

Historian Late Sankalia opined that Ravana's Lanka might have been in Chota Nagpur Region , i.e. in Jharkhand-Bengal Border. I have discussed in one of my blogposts, the possibility of Bhagalpur as being the Lanka of Ravana, or any of the islands in Ganga river, on the northern side of Bhagalpur as Lanka. There is a Trikuta mountain in Bhagalpur. Baidynath, the place where Ravana is reported to have installed his Shiva-phallus, is also nearby south to Bhagalpur. On the other side of Ganga River, opposite to Bhagalpur, we get Hajipur and the Kathihar Areas, our Kursela, Ayodhyaganj.

Anjana Devi's place (Hanuman or Anjaneya's mother) is in Jharkhand, on the west direction of Bhagalpur and Bydyanath.

There is an important tribe called 'asuras' in Jhar Khand.

There are a few villages with the name 'Lanka', to the South of Anjadevi's place, in Jharkhand..

According to Wikipedia. the word 'kursela' according to Wikipedia.org, mentions 'kuru' as the origin of the place, and linked it to Kauravas and Pandavas. But I believe that 'kursela' is probably 'kOsala', from which Kausalya hailed.

There are many gaps in this narration of mine. One possibility: Dasaratha's Ayodhya in Phyzabad District, Uttar Pradesh, might have been called Ayodhya, but it might not have been 'kOsala Kingdom'. kOsala kingdom, must have been kausalya's native place, which is kursela in Bihar. Shri Rama might have been born at Kursela, even without the name Ayodhya. Or Kursela can be Old Ayodhya, and Phyzabad Ayodhya can be new Ayodhya.

According to Kursela's locals, it appears that the name 'ayOdhya ganj' was given to that place in Kursela town, by the local baron (jamindar) after independence 1947. It may or not be true. Reason: Kursela's Ayodhya was in the trade route between Delhi and Kolkata even during the days of Aurangzeb, Europeans, Clive, Hastings, Surajuddaula, Mir Jaffar etc. et al. It was said to be a Mandi Centre and an important place for warehousing in those days.

First Possibility

Shri Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, might have gone WESTWARDs from Kursela-Ayodhya to Gaya's Phalguni Tirtham , probably even to that Godavari village in Gaya District. One guess I made was that Kishkindha was in Mirzapur which is East to Allahabad. From Gaya / Gaya's Godavari, after Sita's abduction by Ravana, the two brothers might have gone to Mirzapur.

Second Possibility

As per the map shown above, SRLs might have moved eastward from Chitrakut to Gaya. In those days, there were no compasses. There were not many villages. Those who go in forest paths depend on oral inquiries. It is possible, Rama and Lakshmana might have come westwards from Gaya to Mirzapur (Kishkindha), and stayed there. The Southern batch sent by Sugriva, to search Sita, led by Angada and Hanuman, might have crossed Ganga River at Mirzapur (Vindhyas), then moved eastwards till they reached Bhagalpur, via Anjanadevi's place. Hanuman might have been familiar with this path.

This is a 1000 page subject. To continue adding / deleting / modifying. और जोडने की है। ఇంకా జోడించాల్సింది ఉంది.

931 (Part 1/3 series ) Third Ayodhya too will have to be taken into reckoning

Triggers for this particular blogpost: 1. Advice of Supreme Court of India, to the litigants of Ayodhya, about the Babri Masjid and Rama Janma Bhumi land, to opt for mediation and consultation based settlement. Supreme Court's offer to help in Intermediation. 2. Observations of Shri Garikapati Narasimha Rao, Telugu discourser, on Telugu TV Channel, titled 'Raghuvamsam', about Sita performing obsequies/oblations (pinda pradanam) to her father-in-law Dasaratha, on the banks of River Phalguni, at Gaya Vishnu pada tIrtham. This in continuation of my 194 posts made by me at my blog Click to go to my blog Ramayanayb.blogspot.com.

Pl. see the following study material:
Click here to go to https://www.jatland.com/home/The_Jats:Their_Origin,_Antiquity_and_Migrations/The_Scythic_origin_of_the_Jats#Where_was_Ayodhya_.3F

Where was Ayodhya ?

Without piling up anymore glaring discrepancies, we now address ourselves to the crucial problem i.e. where could that Ayodhya be where the Sakas, the alleged progenitors of Jats, had a dig in against king Sagar and consequently met their Waterloo?

The Jats:Their Origin, Antiquity and Migrations: End of p.191

In fact, there was an ancient city named Ayodhya or Ayodhin Ajudhan in the Sapta Saindhava country, the original home of the Jats or that of the Rigvedic Aryans, but unluckily it was not given the attention by historians it eminently deserved. It was first of all brought to light by Nearchus111, one of the generals of Alexandar, when he undertook the return journey to Greece along the Satluj river. The name is mentioned next by Waddell112, but neither Nearchus nor Waddell gives any information about the founders of the city. Bhargaval13 merely shows this city on the map in his famous book 'Geography of the Rigvedic India'. It is, as far as we know, the Imperial Gazetteer of India 114 and also Khalid Ahmad Nizami115, the biographer of Sheikh Farid-ud-din, that inform us that the Yaudheyas (Johiyas) were,the probable builders of the city. Precisely speaking modern Pakpattan in Pakistan is Ayodhin on river Sutlej, not far from Kasur, below Ferozepur; more or less opposite Harappa116. The foundations of Lahor and Kasur are traditionally attributed respectively to Lava and Kush sons of Rama Dasharathi.These cities still exist in the neighborhood Ayodhin. Kekayi's ancestors, the Kaikayas, who derived their name from their eponymous ancestor Kaikeya, son of Sivi-Ausinar, had their capital at Girivraj,identified by Cunningham with Virjak or Jalalpur on the river Jhelum (Pakistan)116a. As is well-known Kaithal near Kurukshetra was Kapisthala, the birth-place of Hanuman, the monkey god. All this geographical evidence goes to prove conclusively that Ayodhin was the original Ayodhya.

However, diving deeper into the ocean of history we are rewarded with invaluable light, the effulgence of which dispels the fog shrouding the mystery of Ayodhya or Ayodhin just as the rising sun makes the darkness of night disappear "with its heels on its head". As the name suggests, Ayodhin must be original Ayodhya, "the invincible city", founded by the invincible Yaudheyas of yore, who remained a paramount power in (hat region for a very long time in the past before their migration to the eastern parts of the Sapta Sindhu. Alexander the Great, who stormed the Panjab like a whirlwind, is said to have meekly retraced his steps back to Greece and Mahmud Gazanavi had to flee the field of Multan incognito and returned empty-handed to his country for fear of those warriors. Just as the Sakas, so are the Yaudheyas identified with the Jats. Anyway, the pertinent question we are now confronted with is, who were the Yaudheyas?

yb-donkey's views, not intended to be imposed on others

Right now I am not able to take Lahore-pakpaTTan as 3rd Ayodhya, although possibilities cannot be ruled out. More investigations may be needed.

For the information of my Readers:
Ayodhya-1 : Phaizabad Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, which contains the disputed Babri Masjid site. This is accepted by Tourist circuits as the original Ayodhya ruled by King Dasaratha.

Ayodhya-2: In my personal view this is in Bihar State, Kursela Town, at the confluence of the Kosi and Ganga Rivers. In Kursela, we have a place, which is popularly known as 'Ayodhya Ganj', because of its popularity as Mandi Centre between Delhi and Kolkata. About this place, I have already covered partly at my blog ramayanayb.blogspot.com. In my personal humble view, the Lichchavi Ikshvakus who ruled Vaishali in Bihar are apparently the Ikshvakus of Valmiki Ramayana Fame.

INVASION OF AFGHANISTHAN (KANDAHAR) BY BHARATA (3RD IN THE FOUR BROTHERS) WITH HELP FROM SHRI RAMA & Yudhajit (maternal uncle of Bharata)

Last volume of Valmiki Ramayana, called 'Uttara KAnDa' (=English: uttara=post, after. Post-coronation of Shri Rama on the throne of Ayodhya. kAnDa=Episode, story. Segment, Stem of a long narration). In Sarga 100 (Chapter 100), the verses which describe Bharata's invasion, can be seen, and studied. There was some bloodshed on a River in Kandahar. The object of invasion was, to add sufficient land to Rama's Empire, so that he could allocate some kingdom's to Bharata's two sons.

Lakshmana's two sons, and Satrughna's two sons were accommodated by gifting kingdoms in Central India.

By doing these distributions, Shri Rama ensured that the anointment of his own sons Kusa and Lova will not be disturbed by their cousins.

Some places bearing names of Lakshmana, Satrughna, Bharata, and their sons may be found near Lahore, or in Kandahar. That alone will not be sufficient to say that pakpaTTan was ancient Ayodhya, because when new places are colonised, the colonists have a tendency to name places at the new colony, by the places of their native locations. For example, European Settlers in United States 1600, named many places in USA, by the names of European Cities like London.

Another possibility

We may find a Rajiv Gandhi Airport in Hyderabad. That does not mean Rajiv Gandhi lived in Hyderabad. Before accepting that possibility, we may have to search for additional corroborative evidence.

I shall add some more material here shortly.

To continue adding / deleting / modifying. सशेष. ఇంకా ఉంది.