2386) Did You Know Series (66): Were there flying Aircraft in Ancient India? ii) Was Space Travel prevalent in India? Ancient Indian texts have several references that this was so iii) Are References in Ancient Indian Texts of "Vimanas" (aeroplanes) and Space Travel pseudo science?:

2386) Did You Know Series (66): Were there flying Aircraft in Ancient India? ii) Was Space Travel  prevalent in India?  Ancient Indian texts have several references that this was so iii) Are References in Ancient Indian Texts of "Vimanas" (aeroplanes) and Space Travel pseudo science?:

i) References to Flying Craft in Indian Mythology called "Vimanas":

"Vimānas" are mythological flying craft or chariot described in Hindu texts and Sanskrit epics. 

Vimanas were regarded as a "Aerial Car or a Chariot of the Gods", or any self-moving aerial car, sometimes  self-moving and carrying its occupant(s)/passengers through the air, some were multi-level craft  (like passenger aircraft of today). 

In some Indian languages like Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu, "Vimana" or "Vimanam" means "aircraft".

Vimanas are also mentioned in Jain texts and some other Ancient Indian texts.

i) The Pushpak Vimana:

The "Pushpak Vimana" of Ravana (the King of Lanka) is the most quoted example of a Vimāna.

It is the first flying vimana/craft mentioned in existing Hindu texts (as distinct from the Gods' flying "horse-drawn chariots"). 

Pushpak was originally made by "Vishwakarma" (the Smith of the Gods) for Brahma, the "Indian God of Creation", later Brahma gave it to Kubera, the "God of Wealth". The Aircraft was later said to have been stolen from Kubera, along with Lanka, by his half-brother, King Ravana.

In the Ramayan, the "Pushpak ("flowery") Vimana" of Ravana is described in the Indian texts, after Ravana was defeated by Rama, and Vibhishana became the King of Lanka as follows:

An artist's concept of the Pushpak Vimana flying through the air

"The Pushpak Vimana that resembles the Sun and belongs to my brother was brought by the powerful Ravana; that aerial and excellent Vimana goes everywhere at will ... that chariot resembling a bright cloud in the sky ... and the King (Rama) got in, and the excellent chariot at the command of the pilot (Raghira), rose up into the higher atmosphere."

This celestial self-propelled car was large, had two storeys (in some versions of Hindu texts seven storeys) and many chambers with windows, and was draped with flags and banners.

Ram returned the aircraft to Kubera, the legitimate owner of the Aircraft, after reaching Ayodhya.

A sculpture depicting the Pushpak Vimana

ii) Vimanas find a mention in the Vedas (Indian texts) as "Chariots of the Gods":

The predecessors of the "flying vimanas" of the Sanskrit epics were the "flying chariots" employed by various gods in the Vedas - the "Sun Chariot" (depicted as being drawn by seven Horses, symbolising the colours of the rainbow) and Indra (the King of the Gods) and several other Vedic deities are transported by "flying wheeled chariots" pulled by animals, usually depicted as horses.

Others like the “agnihotra-vimana” ("Agni" meaning "fire" or "fire-powered Craft") with two engines and the “gaja-vimana” ("Elephant powered" aircraft) have also been mentioned in religious texts. Rigveda also talks of “mechanical birds”. 

Later texts around 500 BC mention self-moving aerial car without animals. 

"Shakuna Vimana" described in the text was something between a modern plane and a rocket.  

In Jain literature:

"Vimāna-vāsin" ("dwellers in vimāna") was a class of deities who served the Tīrthankara Mahāvīra.

 These "Vaimānika" deities dwelt in the "Ūrdhva Loka" (Heavens). 

Jain literature mentions various Tirthankaras flying different types of flying machines. Starting from the 4th Tirthankara Abhinandana and Sumatinātha (5th) both travelled through the sky in the "Jayanta-vimāna", namely the great vimāna "Sarva-artha-siddhi", which was owned by the Jayanta deities; whereas the Tīrthankara Dharmanātha (15th) travelled through the sky in the "Vijaya-vimāna". 

According to the Kalpa Sūtra of Bhadra-bāhu, the (24th) Tīrthankara Mahāvīra himself emerged from the great vimāna "Pupa-uttara" while the 22nd Tīrthankara emerged from the great vimāna "Aparijita". 

Ashok the Emperor of Ancient India , Major Edict No. IV: Edict IV:

Ashoka mentions "vimana or an "aerial chariot" as part of the festivities or procession which were organised during his reign.

Vaimānika Shāstra:

The "Vaimānika Shāstra" translated in early  20th-century Sanskrit text on "aeronautics", is about the construction of vimānas, the "Chariots/Crafts of the Gods". 

It was written by one Pandit Subbaraya Shastry in 1918–1923. 

A Hindi translation was published in 1959, the Sanskrit text with an English translation in 1973. 

It has 3000 shlokas in 8 chapters. Subbaraya Shastry  stated that the content was dictated to him by Maharishi Bharadvaja.

Vaimanika Shastra covers definitions of airplane, pilot, aerial routes, and aeroplanes are described in great detail. 

The Vimanika Shastra refers to metals used in these crafts. There is mention of electricity and power sources, of pilots and their flying clothing, about the food that they eat.

 It talks even about the weapons that are kept on these airships. The flight manuals of the Vimanas were quite similar to the flight manuals one finds in the modern civil and military aircraft. 

It suggests that Vimanas were powered by several gyroscopes placed inside a sealed liquid mercury vortex. One of the texts talks about mercury rotating and driving some sort of a powerful propeller or fan.

In 1991, a book by David Hatcher Childress, titled - "Vimana Aircraft of Ancient India & Atlantis" covered the secrets of constructing aeroplanes that will not break, will not catch fire, and cannot be destroyed. 

Also secret of making planes motionless (hovering), of making them invisible (stealth aeroplanes), the secret of retrieving photographs of the interior of enemy planes (intelligence gathering), the secret of ascertaining the direction of enemy planes approach (radar surveillance), the secret of making persons in enemy planes lose consciousness and the secret of destroying enemy planes were mentioned in ancient Indian texts.

Childress also found evidence for the mercury vortex engine in the "Samarangana Sutradhara", an 11th century treatise on aircraft architecture.

 The "Samaranga Sutradhara" is a scientific treatise dealing with every possible angle of air travel in a "Vimana" (Civil Aviation). 

There are 230 stanzas dealing with the construction, take-off, cruising for thousands of miles, normal and forced landings, and even possible bird strikes. 

It dealt with aircraft operations, included information on the navigation, precautions for long flights, protection of airships from storms and lightening and change over to “solar energy” for cruise.

The propulsion of the Vimanas according to Kanjilal (1985) was by “Mercury Vortex Engines”, apparently a concept similar to electric propulsion.

 This appears to be accurate from the description of the flight behavior.

 Elephants are said to have run away in panic, from the sounds of approacing/departing aircraft.

Grass was thrown out because there was a lot of pressure from behind those Vimanas.

Shri G. R. Josyer, former Director of the International Academy of Sanskrit Research in Mysore, claimed that the Academy had collected manuscripts that were compiled by ancient "Rishis" (sages) thousands of years ago. 

One manuscript dealt with Aeronautics, construction of various types of aircraft for civil aviation and for warfare. 

Designs and drawing of a helicopter-type cargo plane, specially meant for carrying combustibles and ammunition, and a double and treble-decked passenger aircraft carrying 400 to 500 persons were reportedly recorded.               

Ayyavazhi Mythology:

"Pushpak Vimana", meaning "an aeroplane with flowers", is a mythical aeroplane also mentioned in Ayyavazhi mythology.

 Akilattirattu Ammanai, the religious book of Ayyavazhi, says that the Pushpak Vimana was sent to carry Ayya Vaikundar to Vaikundam.

Other References to Vimanas:

- By the time of the Mahabharata (600 BC), the flying chariots had grown in size but they never lost the large wheels. Mahabharata mentions the genius "Yavanas" as creator (Chief Designer) of a finite dimensioned Vimana with four solid wheels owned by Asura Maya. 

- It is interesting to note that when Alexander the Greek had invaded India in 300 BC, his historians chronicled that at one point they were attacked by “fiery flying shields” that dived at his army and frightened the cavalry.

- A 5000 year old Flying Machine image was said to have been found by American Soldiers in an Afghan Cave during the unsuccessful US intervention in Afghanistan. 

During the time of the Bombay Presidency (British Raj):

Shivkar Bāpuji Talpade (1864 – 1916) was an Indian instructor in the JJ School of Art with an interest in Sanskrit and in aviation. Contemporary accounts of a successful flight do not exist, and no reliable historical records document its existence.

Talpade's aircraft:

Talpade is reputed to have constructed an  heavier-than-air aircraft, named "Marutsakhā," and flown it above Bombay's Chowpatty Beach in 1895.

It is believed that the aircraft stayed in the air  for the accepable time of a successful flight in the presence of the senior British Raj officials, who were totally taken aback that an Indian had made a craft based on "Vedic references", and are believed to have immediately confiscated the aircraft and expunged all historical records/references/document relating to the successful flight and its existence.

Talpade's aircraft was believed to have flown to a height of 1,500 feet (460 metres). The aircraft was purportedly inspired by the "Vaimānika Shāstra" ("Science of Aeronautics"), a text authored in 1904 that is frequently associated with descriptions of aircraft in the Vedas. 

The aircraft has been described as a cylinder of bamboo, and to have used mercury as  fuel. Some of Talpade's drawings were said to have been purchased by Rallis Brothers or HAL along with Talpade's background papers, which could not be traced by researchers.

Talpade developed a reputation as the "first man to fly an aircraft", given that his achievement was supposed to have taken place eight years before the Wright Brothers flew their plane in 1903. 

However, Talpade's craft was said to be an unmanned aircraft - unmanned aircraft built by English engineer John Stringfellow are said to have been tested, as early as, 1848. 

As all evidence pertaining to Talpade's successful flight was confiscated by the British authorities, we do not know whether he had himself flown in the craft (manned flight) or whether it was unmanned. 

Vimana Grihas (Hangars):

Vimanas were kept in a "Vimana Griha", (a "hanger"), and were sometimes said to be propelled by a yellowish-white liquid, which was similar to gasoline. 

Perhaps Vimanas had a number of different propulsion sources, including combustion engines and even “pulse-jet” engines. 

        The Nazis too developed the first recent pulse-jet engines for their V-8 rockets. Hitler and the Nazi staff were greatly interested in ancient India and Tibet and sent regular expeditions to both these places in the 30’s to gather evidence. 

ii) Space travel was prevalent in Ancient India?:

Verses from RigVeda V 1.164.47-48, also known as "The Riddle Hymn", were cited as evidence for a "spacecraft" by Indian philosopher and social leader Dayananda Saraswati who believed in the teachings of the Vedas.

India’s ancient past and the vast knowledge is very well documented in the ancient manuscripts, although most of the written texts have gone missing due to Muslim/Mughal (Mongol) and British invasions at various points of time.

Some instances:

i) Sant Tukaram's Ascent to his Heavenly abode:

A similar reference is found in regard to Saint Tukaram, Maharashtra, India.

Lord Vishnu  was so impressed by the devotion and singing of Saint Tukaram that when his time came, a "Pushpak Vimana" (a "heavenly aircraft" shaped like an eagle) came to take him to heaven.  

ii) There are references to flying machines in the temple carvings and in the ancient writings. Most ancient Sanskrit manuscripts have still to be translated into English. 

iii) 55) Road Trip to Kerala: (Part III): Visiting the "Edakkal Caves" (Petroglyphs etched into rocks by the Neolithic and Mesolithic Man some 8,000 years ago onwards) on the Ambakutty Mala mountain at Wayanad: 

Spacecraft carvings in Edakkal Caves, Wayanad, Kerala

When we visited the ancient pre-historic Edakkal caves at Idduki, Wayanad, Kerala, we came across ancient rock carvings depicting a faint outline of a spacecraft, which seems to be undergoing repairs. An alien looking being is seen threatening the locals with some kind of a ray/automatic weapon to stay away from the craft.

I wrote on my above post:

"I found this section of the Rock art extremely interesting. There seems to be a 10 rung ladder/stone-steps, on which there is a faint outline of a person/being reaching out towards what appears to be the "rocket boosters" of a "alien space-ship" standing vertically (much like today's space rockets).  

In front of the "Space-ship", there is a clear image of an alien being one eye closed and the other wide open (much like the beings from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" or "Star-Wars Series") holding a weapon pointed towards the onlookers, which looks like a drawn sword (or a precursor of the "Light-Saber") which  he keeps "Earthlings" at bay. Some interpretations suggest that he is wearing a mask, which does not appear to be correct at all.

Is my imagination running wild or is it a Neolithic artist's impression of visitations from outer space?"

In the second image:

"In this image one can clearly see another "alien being" on a ledge about to turn on its "light saber" while the third attempts to "repair/restart his space-ship."

iv) The Chinese Documents found in Lhasa, Tibet speak of Ancient Indian Space Travel:

A few years ago, the Chinese discovered some Sanskrit documents in Lhasa, Tibet and sent them to be translated. 

Dr. Ruth Reyna who undertook the exercise, opined that the documents contain directions for building "interstellar spaceships". 

The method of propulsion, she said, was anti-gravitational, a system similar to that of “laghima”, the unknown power of man’s ego, a centrifugal force strong enough to counter gravitational pull. "Hindu Yogis", for long have maintained “laghima” enables a person to levitate. 

Reyna said that on board these machines were weapons which were called “Astras”, and the ancient Indians could have sent a detachment of men onto any planet. 

v) Soviet scientists discovered old instruments used in navigating cosmic vehicles in caves in Turkestan and the Gobi Desert.

vi) The Ramayana, has a highly detailed story of a trip to the moon in a Vimana, including details of a battle on the moon with an "Asvin" (Atlantean airship).

Vimanas equipped with weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD):

Sanskrit texts have references to gods who fought battles in the sky using Vimanas equipped with weapons as deadly as present day. 

Indra’s Dart (Vajra - or thunderbolt) operated using a circular reflector. When switched on, it produced a "shaft of light" which, when focused on any target, immediately consumed it with its power (Laser Weapon).

There are references of highly maneuverable and powerful Vimanas launching single projectiles charged with "all the power of the Universe" against cities, resulting in huge columns of smoke and fire equivalent to tens of thousands of suns (Nuclear Weapons). 

This "Iron Thunderbolt" gigantic messenger of death reportedly reduced to ashes the entire race of the Vrishnis and Andhakas. These kinds of records are not isolated and can be cross-correlated with similar reports in other ancient civilizations. It is possible that these were nuclear weapons.

An ion engine:          

NASA scientists (National Aeronautical and Space Administration) are working on an ion engine that uses a stream of high velocity electrified particles. Interestingly the aircraft engines being developed for future use by NASA,  uses mercury bombardment units powered by Solar cells. (Reference to Talpade's aircraft?)

iii) Are References in Ancient Indian Texts of "Vimanas" (aeroplanes) and Space Travel pseudo science?

Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and aesthetics inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery.  Jules Verne's writings are one such example. 

As such the concept is of recent origin, while ancient Indian texts are thousands of years old and recorded by several different persons.

Pseudoscience on the other hand consists of statements, beliefs, or practices that claim to be both scientific and factual but are incompatible with the scientific method.

The demarcation between science and pseudoscience has scientific, philosophical, and political implications.

 Philosophers debate the nature of science and the general criteria for drawing the line between scientific theories and pseudoscientific beliefs, but there is general agreement on examples such as ancient astronauts. 

Ancient astronauts" (or "ancient aliens") refers to a pseudoscientific hypothesis which holds that intelligent extraterrestrial beings visited Earth and made contact with humans in antiquity and prehistoric times. 

It has been suggested that this contact influenced the development of modern cultures, technologies, religions, and human biology.

A common position is that deities from most, if not all, religions are extraterrestrial in origin, and that advanced technologies brought to Earth by ancient astronauts were interpreted as evidence of divine status by early humans.

The idea that ancient astronauts existed and visited Earth is not taken seriously by academics and archaeologists, who consider it to be pseudoarchaeological.

Nevertheless, in view of the  voluminous data available to the contrary, NASA has set up a research team last week comprising a senior/expert group of scientists to report their findings on Unidentified Flying Objects and Alien Visitations. The team would do well to study the ancient Indian Texts and examples as well, instead of studying only Western beliefs.