Aeronautics in Ancient India?

[S Krishna]

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!"

In order to prevent members of the Indology List from getting bored,
we have nice jokes and fairy tales posted from time to time.

The latest to this addition of side splitting jokes is about 
"Aeronautics". I am not sure about Aeronautics and Atom Bombs( why else 
would Oppenheimer quote  from the Geeta when the atomic bomb was 
exploded, eh!). I can only suggest the author read the following
texts: 1. Hindu America, by Dewan Chaman Lal....he proves that the
Maya pyramids are copied from the Hindu Gopuram,Indian American ethnic 
jewellery is copied from Shivas Rudraaksha. If it weren't for the title, 
one would think that he was reading Narsimhavarmans "mattavilAsa", which 
talks about the fanciful flights of imagination when inebriated. 2. 
Sanskrit is derived from Arabic- Mohammed Mazhar
....This gentleman advances the arguement that Allah reveale dthe Quran 
to Mohammed in Arabic, so every language derives from Arabic; therefore 
Sanskrit is derived from Arabic. Even the combined wits of
the Grimm brothers and Hans Christian Andersen cannot conjure  such a 
fantasy....for sheer flights of imagination, he beats even Arthur 
Rimbaud, whose poetry is supposed to be *halycon and dreamlike*
....The difference is Rimbaud attempts poetry, Sheikh Mazhar attempts 
linguistics.

The author who is interested in aeronautics can further the case of 
"Intellectual Bharateeya KKKism" by reading the above books.

It would help to nip these jingoistic ideas in the bud, for if 
"given an inch, they will take a mile". As Hafez advises
"Dam the stream in the begining and all you need is a twig
allow the strean to flow and it sweeps elephants away near its mouth"


To even think that people can take credit for every invention under the 
sun is reprehensible and narrow minded. Having witnessed the havoc 
caused by "The White Mans Burden", one doesn't have to experience the 
"Brown Mans Burden". Reading such tomes itself is an eyesore and 
burdensome to both brain and heart. to paraphrase Bhandarkar,"one musn't 
look for steam engines in the Vedas". Ancient Indians have done lots of 
creditable things, but neural networks, VLSI CAD and CD players weren't 
part of the "Achievements".


Let us join Messrs Thillaud and Wujatsyk in laying a wreath on the
latest set of jingoistic ideas. May I appeal to senior members to help
shut out such stuff? I am sorry for this rant, but temporary discomfort 
is preferable to permanent ignorance. Let us therefore
bid adieu to such ideas before they misuse hospitality to the extent 
that we would have to be hospitalised.

Krishna



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