RAMAYAN - a true life story
Jai Sri Ram

VALMIKI was a great Biologist

From a Biological view point by 2 botanists- a research.

To doubters esp-
Pls read n share #Thread

Traversing the areas of Ramayana, from Ayodhya to Chitrakut to Lanka. Valmiki knew his flora n fauna n geography. The sanskrit names n Latin names were cross verified with taxonomical evidence. All 182 plant species found in Ramayan were found to be true.

Around 1000BCE, no means was available to create a folklore with all the minutest details by a writer, Valmiki, and found around the country as documented in CPR Environmental Education Centre, citing:"Plant n Animal Diversity in Ramayana"by M. Amirthalingam n P. Sudhakar,Chn

Valmiki mentions the danger of Dandaka - aranya which was full of tigers n lions then, but now poached and not seen in these forests. Their evidences were found in the rock carvings of Bhimbetka Rock Shelters.

Ramayan talks of sacred groves and various species of animals.
Valmiki the biologist, Rama as botanist n Sita as zoologist carved their niche in their ecosystem. Often deities and rituals are associated with sacred groves or conservation areas or formally made into bioreserves.

Interestingly, Vanaras were inhabitants of Vana, cultivated forests. Monkeys are calked 'kapi' in Sanskrit n not Vanara. So, armies of Vanara,Vali, Sugreeva, Jambavan, a bear also was called Vanara by Valmiki. How so? Vanara,then meant forest dwellers, later designated as monkeys

From aranyas n various forest types to vana, to economically useful plants to medicinal, from sacred to culturally important plants, 182 plants n their flowering seasons described in detail in Ramayana has been documented now with Sanskrit n Latin names.

Animal diversity was in detail in Chitrakut forest as Maha vana in Ramayan.- Ramya..beautiful carnivores, herbivores, different spp, ex, kaarandava= coot, prisata=spotted deer, Dhandakaranya forest- sarasa= crane, jhilika= cricket, tiger, lion

Vanaras are Vana Naras, people of the forest who carried kapi- the monkey on their flag. Jhambavan was also called Vanara by Valmiki, its likely that Hanuman's super human feat of flying across mountains etc were inconceivable by mortals so we associated vanaras with monkeys.

More evidences are seen in fauna of Panchavati near Godavari n Kishkinda in Bellary. Rare variety fish- Vakratunda ( blunt nosed fish) , Rohita..yes.same name now found in Pampa lake.quoting Brockington, Vanaras were then considered to be Ape men

Dronagiri hills has 4 important plants: Mrita sanjeevani(restore life), vishalyakarani(healing wounds), suvarnakarani( restore original complexion), sandhani(joining severed limbs n bones)
Of the above 3 hv been id'ed now are: Cressa, Selaginella, Flickingeria.

Evergreen Asoka vana had dome of the following plants..Asoka, Oak, Boodyarta, Poison Nut tree. Few animals were- Peacock, Crane, Duck, Roe deer, ruddy shelduck, swan etc

To all those who quion, Valmiki's narrative, the ecosystem, various fauna n flora was maintained n described in detail without adding hues of his own. The distribution n information is exact along the entire trail from Ayodhya to Lanka.
Valmiki, was a great Biologist.