Background

Indian ancient history is in fact the History of Hinduism. This was the onmipotent belief since the dawn of history in India. For a brief period there was a break during the period when the Maurya dynasty ruled India, at that time Buddhism became the state religion, but within a 100 years Hinduism and the Brahaminical cult came back with a vengence.

Over the centuries Indian Kings and rulers have always been equated with God. They were supposed to derive their powers from a pantheon of Hindu gods, who blessed them. One name that creeps  up through out Hindu history is that of Vikramaditiya. Historians have not been able to identify who the real Vikramaditiya was or when he lived, but we know that this title has special significance for all Hindus. It represents an image and dream of a just and powerful king who was supposed to have divine powers. This title was used by many kings throughout Indian history.

The last King who used this name was  also the last Hindu king who was crowned as emperor of Hindustan in 1555. He was Samrat Hemchand Tukuram Vikramaditiya. He ascended the throne in 1555 and was crowned emperor of Hindustan in the historic Purana Kila( Old Fort), built by Sher Shah Suri. This man had earlier ousted the Mughal rulers and seized power in Delhi. Hemchand Tukuram popularly called Hemu was a general in the army of Sher Shah, but by dint of his prowess and ability siezed power and crowned himself as emperor of Hindustan. He was the last Hindu king to be crowned at Delhi. Samrat Hemchand Tukuram is often referred to as the Napoleon of India as in a short span of 2 years, he defeated the Muslims and the Mughals in 22 battles on the trot and captured Delhi.

Subsequently by a quirk of fate, Hemu lost at the 2nd battle of Panipat(1556) and was beheaded by Akbar, when he was almost unconscious. But his names lives on as a great and powerful warrior. Why did Hemu assume the title of " Vikramaditiya"?  The answer is that for centuries the name of Viramaditiya is revered as a  king who was  both just and wise and was blessed by the divine. Hindus look up to Vikramaditiya as  a sort of super king who  could do no wrong. But again as I have mentioned the real Vikramaditiya and his period has never been conclusively identified.

The Legend of Vikramaditiya

If one visits the complex of Kutab Minar built by Kutabbadin Aibik at Delhi,  one will come across a metal pillar that for centuries has not rusted. Nobody till date has been able to analayse the metallurgy of the material with which this pillar was made. Historians have traced its origin to  what is known as the Golden Age of India, namely when the Gupta Empire flourished in India, just after the demise of the Maurya dynasty.

This pillar has some inscriptions on it which point to the fact that this is the handiwork of Chandragupta II, who was one of the greatest rulers of the Gupta period. He also assumed the title of Vikramaditiya.His reign was probably from 375CE-415CE. Chandragupta Vikramaditiya was a great warrior and carried out many conquests. He probably had heard of the Legendary Vikramaditiya who was supposed to have ruled from Ujjain and so he made Ujjain his second capital in addition to Pataliputra( Modern Patna).From this one can  make an estimate of the size of the empire of Chandragupta Viramaditiya.

From the pillar at Mehrauli in the Kutab Minar Complex we learn of the conquests of Chandragupta II and now we can estimate that he ruled over a gigantic empire that even encompassed Afghanistan.

 He was one of the greatest kings, but again he was not the real Vikramaditiya.Chandragupta Vikramaditiya was like celestial kings fond of the fine arts, which he encouraged during his reign. He is supposed to have 9 gems in his court , who represnted the epitome of creative arts. Two of them are well known and are the poet Kalidasa and astronomer Varahamihira. To an extent the title Vikramadity does fit  Chandragupta II.

Historians have been searching for the real Vikramaditiya.  A study of history reveals another king who assumed this title and he was Vikramaditiya VI( 1076-1126CE). He belonged to the Chalukya dynasty  and had the longest reign in his dynasty. He was often referred to as Permadideva and Tribhuvanamalla, literally meaning Lord of the Three Worlds. He was like Chandragupta II also a patron of the fine arts as well as a great warrior.  His court  had a multitude of Sanskrit and Kannada Poets.

Many historians also refer to Chandragupta Mauraya as Vikramaditiya. He came to power after the exit of the Greeks. He also conquered the entire North india  and is considered as Vikramaditya also.

One thing that needs to be mentioned is that  no legend is without any basis. Obviously there was some one who was the real Vikramaditiya. We have a clue if a person goes to   Ujjain. This city as we know is one of the oldest cities in India and mention of this is made in the Puranas.  It is also one of the recognised holy cities in Hinduism.

A tourist guide will take you to many places and along the banks of the Narmada river will take you to the Sihasan ( Throne) of Vikramaditya. This is a very old and dilipadated structure and one can make out that  it must be very ancient. The guide will explain that the original Vikramaditya sat on this throne, which is in reality a replica as the original throne on which Vikramaditya sat ascended to heaven. I have seen this throne, but I am not sure I believe the story of the throne ascending into the skies and going to heaven.

I do believe that there was a Vikramaditya who probaly ruled from Ujjain.  A refence to the Puranas gives a date of 1st century BCE. this is clearly mentioned in the Bhavishiya Purana. This book also states he was the son of King Ghandharvasena. Vikramadatiya lived to the age of 87 and probably died in 15CE. He was a man of great valor and infinite wisdom and in all probability subsequent kings took him as a role model and adopted his name.

The only source of information of this legendary king is the Bhavishiya Purana. Historians have not been able to uncover any further facts about him, despite extensive research. The only 'evidence' is his throne at Ujjain.

The Original Vikramaditiya

The great king Vikramadity has  a number of legends. Again most of them have come down by word of mouth since centuries. Many stories abound about this king and the most famous ones are his encounters with a Vetala, a supernatural creature. The first of these is a set of 25 tales called the   Panchvimshati. There are another additional 32 tales called the Simhasana- Dwatrimshika. In both these tales the central character is Vikramaditiya. There is however a subtle difference  between the tales.

The first set of tales relate how the Vetala poses many intricate puzzles and questions to Vikramaditiya, who solves all of them. In the second set of  tales Raja Bhoj another mythical king from Hindu lore tries to ascend the throne of Vikramaditiya which has 32 steps, each set is adorned by the statue of a beautiful female. Raja Bhoj is stopped at each step by the female statues till he finally ascends to the throne of Vikramaditiya, after the female statues are impressed by his humilty. There are many versions of these tales and one cannot say which is authentic.

The King Vikramaditya is part of Hindu Psyche. As already brought out the only mention of him is in the Bhavishiya Purana, but that does not mean it's not true.  The Bhavishiya Purana is true in many other prophsies as well, like forcasting the arrival of Muhammad. In all likelihood there was a Raja Vikramaditiya,  who was greatly loved by his people. He was also a wise and just king. This reverence for Viramaditiya has found expression in the modern age with the Indian navy's most powerful warship, the aircraft carrier being named after Vikramaditiya.

The legend of Emperor Vikramaditiya is both interesting and thrilling. I have  litle doubt that a Vikramaditiya did exist in flesh and blood and by all acounts must have been a great and just king. It's about time Hindus glorified their wonderful heritage, which in most ways is unmatched all over the world

Recently I came across a news item stating that due to rising costs the height of the Ravana at Ramlila Ground in New Delhi this year is being reduced from 60-65 feet to around 40-45 feet. In some places they no longer put up Kumbhakarna's figure  to save upon costs. 

My thoughts went back to two statues in my city which had to be replaced and increased in height from the original when installed. This was a reverse phenomenon than the Ravana figure whose height had to be reduced. Both the statues were installed by the city municipality at public expense. That is where the problem arose.

The first statue was of Maharana Pratap the great warrior of Mewar and a much loved historical figure. It was announced with much fanfare that at a very important and busy crossing, a statue of the king in a standing position, holding his spear and shield would be installed. 

Accordingly after a few months at a function the statue was unveiled admist  lot of clapping and back slapping. But soon there was disappointment as the statue did not bring out the majesty of the Maharana. his statue looke a bit comical. The spear in his right hand was taller than him. The shield in his left hand covered a portion of his face too. The helmet on the head appeared a bit too big for the statues face. 

It soon became a talk of the town and local papers also commented upon it. At the busy crossing many a driver would drive slow to have a longer look at it. Speculation was rife as to what happened. The statue simply did not do justice to the impressive figure of the Maharana and photographs of statues in some other cities were made available by local papers. The statue suffered terribly in comparison. 

In the college I passed out from in Rajasthan, there was a museum, which had a room in which a life size statue of the Maharana was installed in full battle gear along with his spear, shield, helmet with chains protecting his face, These were supposed to be original and belonged to Maharana. It was a very impressive statue which was very uplifting to look at.

Therefore the pygmy statue of the Maharana on a pedestal of around 15 feet high, in fact made a mockery of the great historical figure. Soon there was a public uproar and protests followed. As usual the municipality took its own sweet time to respond.

Almost around the same time another statue was installed at another part of the city by the side of a not very busy road. The statue was of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose the legendary freedom fighter. The statue depicted Netaji in his famous pose in a marching position. However it also soon met the reaction  similar to the above statue. The height if the statue was  hardly three to four  feet and it made Netaji look like a dwarf. I happened to pass by that road at least twice a day and developed a silent sympathy for Netaji being depicted in such a pygmy statue.

Both these dwarf statues created a sense of resentment in the city population. In fact some miscreants stole the spear from the statue of Maharana making it look still more comical. After a long period the city fathers grandly announced that both the statues will be replaced by new statues befitting their stature. It helped sooth the resentment among the citizens.

After a few months both the statues were replace with new statues. Proper care was taken to see that they were of appropriate height and looked as near to the real heroes. The citizens were satisfied and both the statues are today standing majestically at their original places.

There were lot of speculations as to why the original statues were not of proper height. After discounting the many theories, it was agreed by almost all that corruption was responsible for the shortening of the heights. It may look comical but it sounds logical. Especially because no other reason has  been provided till date.

As happens most of the time, after awarding contracts the contractors are expected to return a certain amount to the contract value to the department officials in whose jurisdiction the contract is awarded. Generally the contract value is inflated to take this payment into account. Everyone gets their share and the quality of work also may not suffer for want of funds.

But what happens when a provision has not been kept for it and the contract gets awarded. No one wants to forgo their share.The beneficiary of the contract has to accommodate somehow. Usually he cuts corners in the job which anyway the same officials will be approving. Having got their cut they willingly approve the below performance job. everyone is happy.

So why did both the statues lose their heights so liberally?

Now in case of  a statute how does its maker accommodate the demands of the order givers? He can do so only by cutting either the height or the girth of the full size statue. As the demand grows the more reduction he has to do in these vital statistics of a figure. That is what made both Maharana Pratap and Netaji's statues lose at first inches and then feet to finally emerge as pygmy statues. The officials had no option but to approve them and get them installed. When have they bothered about public resentment.

Whether the above is true or not can not be ascertained otherwise how could the commissioned   life size statues result into almost half the size. How can such mistake occur not once but twice. Almost everyone is convinced that this was the reason why the original statues became laughably short in height. 

Height of corruption!!

I recently read a book by Dr Ved Prakash " Muhammad in Hindu Scriptures". Dr Ved Prakash Upadhyay was a well known scholar of Sanskrit and he studied the ancient Hindu scriptures and came to some startling conclusions. The fact is that for long these books were under wraps as they were in sanskrit and hardly anyone in India knew Sanskrit except for some pandits. An enterprising Englishman, Sir william Jones learnt sanskrit and was the first to translate these books into English and later into Hindi. Sir Jones died in 1794 and is buried at the Park cemetery at Calcutta. 

To understand what Dr Ved has written we must understand that there are 4 ancient books on Hinduism that form the bedrock of Hindu beliefs . They are the Vedas, The Upanishads, The Puranas and the Brahmanas. The Upanishads are held in high esteem as also the The Puranas. 

The Puranas consist of 18 volumes and one of them is the Bhavishya Purana. In effect this granth gives forecasts of the future. it is in this book we find mention of Muhammad.  The prophecy clearly states that a man would be born in Arabia and he will be a meat eater, who will eat everything except swine. He will destroy evil doers and wage a war and thus his followers will be known as Musalmans. He will be fond of dates and prunes. The forecast also says that the name of the man will be Muhammad. He will bathe in the sacred river Ganga and be purified. He will be like Raja Bhoj.

The Bhavishya Purana thus makes startling revelations. These are corroborated in the Vedas also. One can read the translations of the Bhavishya Purana and the Vedas to access the exact chapters and verses that make these revelations. Hindu scriptures also refer to Makkah, Kaaba, Arabia and Mohammad at many places. 

Dr Ved Prakash also in an earlier article proves that 3/4 of the Vedas,  draw inspiration from ancient Hebrew scriptures and the names in the Vedas and the Hebrew mythology are common. This is a very interesting phenomena and points to a deep link between the Middle East and ancient Hinduism .That perhaps is the reason that a Muslim friend told me that the Kaaba is in fact a Shiva lingam.

Coming to the forecasts in the Bhavishya Purana, they cannot be dismissed out of hand. What does this forecast mean? Does it mean that the 10th Avatar of Vishnu   who is to come, was actually Muhammad ?. Dr Zakir Naik a Muslim scholar is firmly of the view that the Hindu scriptures clearly foretell the arrival of Muhammad as the apostle of god. This is confirmed by Ghulam Ahmed, spiritual head of the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam.

I do not take a negative view of this  forecast and am convinced that Hindu thought and philosophy by these forecasts establishes itself as of divine origin. I cannot however explain the link with Muhammad. Perhaps MahaRishi Vyasa who compiled the Puranas had divine power and could see into the future and he saw the arrival of Muhammad.

I am wonderstruck that a book written 2000 years before the birth of Muhammad could so accurately forecast the birth of Muhammad as a slayer of evil doers.

The land Hindustan is the abode of the Hindus , a religion as well as a way of life for as long as civilization has existed. It is the oldest religion in the world and has a deep philosophy. But this religion presides over a fractured society, where deep divisions are effected with the Varna system. In a way it brings out a schism in  Hindu society. In real terms this division of Hindu society has had a deleterious effect on India in its entirety as a great and significant part of the Hindu population were forbidden to bear arms or change their profession. This led to a psychosis of fear among the lower castes and it was manifested in implicit and expicit obedience and "Ji Huzoor" attitude.

When the Hindus faced the Muslim invadors from the 7th century onwards, the schisms in Hindu society came to the fore and despite tremendous bravery the Hindu were defeated. Then followed 900 years of subjugation and Muslim rule. The Southern states were overthrown by the Muslims a little later , but Muslim rule was firmly established in the southern bastions of Hyderabad and Mysore.

This 900 years of Muslim rule in their own land created a myth of the meek and mild Hindu. This is articulated by the famous Goan writer and Journalist Frank Moraes. The fact is that the rulers were only a fraction of the population at any given time, yet the bulk of the Hindu masses accepted their rule and paid Jizziya and other taxes willingly. This reinforces the myth of the meek and mild Hindu and is not something to be proud off. One can now realize that it must be an anamoly of history that a race that numbered anytime between 150-200 million were ruled by a handful of Muslim warriors. How did this happen ? Why could not these Hindus unite and throw the invaders out ? there are so many reasons , but caste and a laid back and fatalistic attitude  are the culprits.

The arrival of the English in the guise of the East India Company was the call of history and Hindus could breathe freely again. But now even after 1947 the 'tolerence' of the rulers and lack of decisive approach may again  spell doom for the Hindus.  The fanaticism for religion and the nation is still missing and people are again talking as the old Hindus used to do. In that respect Hindu society has not changed and this tolerance may be the anchor around the neck. Maybe Frank Moraes was right after all.