A retired history professor who has written articles arguing that stories from the Ramayan and the Mahabharat are truthful accounts of events that took place has been named chief of the ICHR, the government agency to promote historical research. Yellapragada Sudershan Rao, whose interests include Vedic literature, Sanatana Dharma and Bharatiya Sanskriti, set the tone for his three-year tenure after taking charge on Saturday.
Under his leadership, the Indian Council of Historical Research, he told The Telegraph, should take up projects to rewrite ancient history to establish the “continuous Indian civilisation”, including the period of the two epics.
“The stories of the Ramayan and the Mahabharat cannot be termed a-historical just because there is not enough archaeological hard evidence. Excavations cannot be done in many places since people are living there and you cannot evict them,” Rao said from Warangal, Telangana.
Rao, who taught history at Warangal’s Kakatiya University, has written several articles seeking to establish that stories of the Puranas and particularly the Ramayan and the Mahabharat are truthful accounts of historical events.
“A lot of historical material has come through cultural, anthropological, archaeological and ethnographic studies in the last 60 years about the continuous Indian civilisation. The findings can be compiled by researchers. I think the ICHR should support historians interested in doing work on these aspects,” he said.
Rao, a member of the ICHR council when the previous NDA government was in power at the Centre, said studies might be conducted to understand the social system and cultural values during the period of the two epics. He also said archaeological evidence suggesting early habitation in Ayodhya could be traced back to the 8th century BC.
The latest excavations conducted after a court directive at the Ramjanmabhoomi site some years ago did reveal ruins of a basement of a big-columned monument on which the Babri mosque was built. Stone pillars and door-jambs with Hindu motifs used in the construction of the mosque were also found, as were images of Hindu deities below the ground at the disputed site.
Asked what the solution to the dispute should be, Rao said: “Historians need not give any solution. Historians present historical materials and the government has to take the decision.”
Rao said the ICHR had, over the last two decades, mainly focused its research projects on the modern and the colonial period. Before 1990, however, when R.S. Sharma and Irfan Habib were chairpersons, the council had undertaken several projects on early history.
“Even during R.S. Sharma’s tenure, they were using Marxist tools. Cultural aspects were not given attention. History should be comprehensive, not driven by any political thought,” Rao said.
By Marxist tools, Rao said, he meant studies entirely focused on the analysis of economic and material aspects, not culture, art or religion.
The new ICHR chief said a lot of archaeological material and literature were stored in archives in other countries and the agency should take the initiative to get at least copies of such works.Rao said he has not been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh but loves the country and nationalist ideas. “I love the country and the culture. As a historian, I feel that history should tell people about their culture and civilisation.”
After taking over, Rao put out a message on the ICHR website where he conveyed “deep gratitude” to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and human resource development minister Smriti Irani for choosing him for the position.
sir,
your interest about indian art,culture, religion and sanatana dharma shows your indian nature your research continue for many years
Thanks
Thanks
Wonderful, happy to see an open-minded professor allowed to do legitimate research. Wish him great success in his endeavors.
He is correct: the Mahabharata is not “a-historical.” It’s real: real people, real places, real events. “Embellished” by time, without a doubt. That is certainly to be expected.
He is incorrect: there is no a lack of archeological evidence. They’re just isn’t looking in the right place. Time has that effect on ancient locations/people….one needs to “expand” their “search area.”
Question: just how BIG was the ancient Bharata kingdom of King Yayati? THAT IS CRUCIAL TO UNDERSTAND. What was “Bharata/India?” Did Yayati consider his vassals part of his kingdom? If so….LOOK THERE. Did Yayati send out “angels” (Devas?) to rule his vassals? “Angels” of course, being Royal Princes. How many sons did Yayati have? That obviously means LOTS OF VASSAL STATES NEEDED for all those sons!
Would they have called themselves “Rajas?” I know where they left “Raja” written in stone…and it isn’t in (modern day boundary) India. And the “experts” there (at hiding the truth, apparently) are reading that proof “backwards,” I believe intentionally.
Have him write me. Send him my email address.
I’ll show him “tons” of archeological proof of the Mahabharata. Want to meet VishNu? Shiva? Arjuna? Indra? Nakula? Santanu? Rama? Lakshmana? Historical people….and all related. Tons of evidence, tons of proof. Unassailable proof. In fact, it illustrates a world-wide Vedic/Hindu culture from south America to India, China to Anatolia. Europe/Asia/Americas.
Example: I told a Thai friend that I knew who Indra was in history. Being Buddhist, this was confusing to her, not being familiar with Hinduism…then she asked if he “was Buddha’s doctor.” Guess what? That person I KNOW was Indra? I checked: turns out he was also a doctor, famous as such. Documented by Greek scribes 2000 years later! “Coincidence?” No. It is Indra. Want to meet Indra?
You can dig the wrong locations unsuccessfully for decades…or you can access Vedic/Hindu archeological PROOF over 4600 years old. It is all there already…posing as something else! Frankly…I think those hiding it know they are being deceptive. When this is exposed….wow. Indians should know. That is my motivation.
India is being short-changed. Western sources say the Mahabharata was composed/compiled @ 600 BC. and was MODELED after the “Trojan War” tale by “Homer.” That is False. Intentional deception.
Ever notice? “Homer” and Vyasa are BOTH SONS OF WATER NYMPHS? MOTHER WITH SAME NAME? (one name is scrambled…an “anagram,” a sadly recurring pattern of deception). Both BORN BY A RIVER/ON AN ISLAND.
Get this: “Homer” was supposedly of the “Ionian Greek” culture. Know who that is? The Yona Tribe, aka “Huna” tribe. Luwian language speakers….that is “Levite” in English.
Am I making myself clearer now? Without a doubt: ancient “Ionian Greeks” were of Indian origins. Mixed with local peoples to be sure, but with Indian/Vedic royalty/overlords. Easily proven. Documented even by western historians…although they do not realize it….yet.
Let me put it this way: Vyasa and this historical person share the same history. That person’s name is “Homer” ……scrambled. An ANAGRAM of Homer. Trust me, Vedic/Hinduism is at least 5000 years old. More like 12,000. But that evidence is less plentiful or obvious. It is there, though. A trail….that leads back, always, to India.
Hint: the trail is hidden..and the real cause of any “Greek Dark Ages”: obviously “somebody” altered ancient documents to fit their own selfish agenda.
I know who they were, where and when they obfuscated the real history.
I’ve unwound their deception. I have untwisted what they wish to keep hidden.
The new Chair of iCHR is on solid ground. History is never written as the battle occurs, whether for ideas or for territory.And usually courtiers write it, so that, centuries on, it is impossible to seperate fact from fiction, except at the gross level. It is the job of historians to seek detail from all the sources available, literary, archaelogical, technological, etymological etc. Unfortunately, long years solidify academic opinion,but Prof. Rao is right to say that there is also a simultaneously living history.For example,in all religions babies are given ‘hero’ names, for instance, John, Ali, Gobind. People are trying to retain memory of the story behind the name. It so happens that these examples come from a time of recorded history, but many Hindu names go back to Vedic,Puranic and Epic literature.What story is there? One area of current study is just this- does the same hero occur in the epic, does his geneaoligy occur in one or more of the major Puranas, and does that relate in the Vedic Samhitas. This applies to places too, and of course to events. From some of this there is no doubt of the Bharata war,its persons, the location, the outcome. In fact, both epics start with the Puranas, to bring history up to date, so much so that a very ancient Vedic war, of the Panca janas( five tribes) is described as if the writer had been present! Of course, events are presented with embellishments, but it is no reason to conclude that what we are reading is an imaginary tale. As a matter of interest, magical events even today easily trump history.
It is a fact that when the generation of Marxist historians, meaning historians with no religious leanings, wrote their commentaries in the 1950s, they were limited by just the English translations of a hundred years before.Those translations were for the English to figure out India, and necessarily with a reductionist bent of mind. In the years since, there have been extraordinary archaelogical finds, such as Dholvira in Gujarat and Mehrgarh in Pakistan; deep scholarship of multi lingual sources,and teh technology to put different findings together.History is always being rewritten, with more proof, more science. The pity is that everything is answerable to journalism, which is totally here and now.
Anyone with sanity will not question the occurrence of Mahabharata and Ramayana. There is enough proof spread throughout the Indian subcontinent through temples etc. going for them. Also archaeological evidence cannot be the sole measure of proof. If it is there it adds to the credibility. If not we must remember its limitation. We must remember that these great epics are said to have occurred thousands of years ago and hence it will be difficult to prove through archaeological excavations alone due to ravages of time.
Congratulations! I believe in vedas and existence of God , Your work and research might help non-believers. Great field to be in. Grateful to have such talented personnel.
The newly appointed professor is competent to discharge his duties in a fair and authentic manner.I am very confident about it.He seems to dedicated in the task entrusted to him by the NDA Goovernment.
For everything in this Universe our Vedas and ITHIHASAS and Puranas based on Vedas are the source.What our Vedas say is found in all religious, scientific and research texts and what is not there in Vedas is no where found.It is such a great thing about our Vedas which every Indian should be proud of.
Unfortunately the foreign invaders,Greek,Muslim and Western, have done a lot of damage to the heritage,culture and customs of the ancient HinduismSome of them deliberately twisted the facts to suit their faith.Some of the local inhabitants were influenced by various kinds of inducements and converted to the foreign culture and faith. This was done deliberately with least opposition except by a small majority who stood against this cultural invasion.
Ramayana and Mahabharat are real and there is no doubt it.
. Let the Almighty help the new Chair to bring out the real facts in to light and remove the distortions that crept in our ancient history. VANDHE MATHARAM ! LONG LIVE OUR SANATHANA DHARMAM. !! JAI HIND !!!