The Search for Ravana's Lanka Written by Sukanya Agashe

The Search for Raavoaona's Lankaa: The Geography of Vaalmaiki Raamaayaona by Sukanya Agashe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The author, Sukanya Agashe, is a Post Graduate in Microbiology with a Ph D in the same field. She won many literary awards for her books written out of her interest on Indian mythology. This book is one such outcome of her decade old research on the search for the true location of Lanka, mentioned in the great Hindu epic Valmiki Ramayana.

This book, to me, seemed to be one of the most treasured hunt for the original Lanka mentioned in the Hindu epic Ramayana, written by Sage Valmiki. The author has gone through various literary works and research papers of famous researchers in this field and compiled the same into one such book, for the reader to have an idea and prove that today’s Sri Lanka is not the original Lanka of Valmiki’s Ramayana. The author has left no stone unturned in finding out the truth behind the origin and end of Ramayana by referring to each and every manuscript starting from Kishkindakanda, Balakanda, Sundarakanda, Yuddhakanda, Mahabharatha, Puranaas, various Sanskrit slokas written by ancient sages of Hindu historical findings and the research papers of famous foreign researchers like M.V Kibe, Cobden Ramsay, Mark Collins etc. Starting from the importance and location of Sala Trees in Ramayana, the author went all out in mentioning the minutest details of animals, birds, soil, plants, rocks, mountains, hills, rivers, lakes, climate, caves, seas etc mentioned in Valmiki Ramayana and many other such manuscripts, and ancient literature
that link to Ramayana, in order to trace the original Lanka.

Ultimately, the reader shall be glued to the book, when the author prefers to adopt the actual route taken by Rama and Lakshmana to find out Sita, starting at Ayodhya that really gives a kick to the research. The author follows the route and gives various illustrations and examples to prove the fact that the actual Lanka of Ravana, is not that which everyone assumes and believes to be the present day Sri Lanka but is located somewhere in the middle of India between Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh states.

Pros : Any reader who has a keen interest in Hindu mythology finds this book highly interesting as the origin and location of some of the most interesting and controversial mythological places like Panchavati, Dakshinasagara, Mount Chitrakuta, Jambudweepa, Kishkinda have been revisited in this book. The never-ending thirst of the author to find the exact location of Lanka is elicited by her enthusiasm in referring to umpteen number of research papers of various Indian and foreign stalwarts in this field. Utmost care has been taken to convince the reader that the exact location of the actual Lanka is given with Google coordinates and of course with a disclaimer. Illustrations and Maps in between are the highlights.

Cons: The author seemed to have started with a bang but lost somewhere in the middle with too many Sanskrit sightings from various ancient texts that confuses the reader only to revert back to the original track later by focussing on the Original route taken by Rama and Lakshmana from Ayodhya to Lanka. As usual, this book might not be of interest to the staunch Hindu believers of Valmiki Ramayana and who have mentally fixed their Lanka as present day Sri Lanka.

My rating is 4 out of 5


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