Being greatly influenced by both Giorgio A. Tsoukalos and David Hatcher Childress from History channel's long-running show Ancient Aliens, I was a bit skeptical about how Vimanas could be considered to be sophisticated aircraft for the Gods to come down from their heavenly abodes to earth. In 2017 the TV show went an extra step to prove this theory by having an aerospace engineer Travis Taylor from University of California, Irvine to build a vehicle model prototype as described in the Sanskrit text to prove that the Vimana is a viable aerodynamic structure and had properties or capabilities of being flown. (Ref: Season 12, Episode 11, "Voices of the Gods". #AncientAliens).
Let us leave extraterrestrial, UFO and traditions aside and look at the book they are referencing in this context. It is Vaimānika Shāstra (Science of Aeronautics) that is considered to be an ancient manuscript for Hindus. How ancient this book is?, would be your next probable question! Well it is said somewhere around 500 BCE. It all started with the person named Pandit Subbaraya Sastry who was born in a small village in Hosur taluk (Tamil Nadu). After so many misfortunes he came to an area near Kolar (Karnataka) in a most crippled and miserable state where he met a great saint Guruji Maharaj who healed him of his disease and initiated him into spirituality and revealed secrets of ancient science, including ancient aeronautics. The Sanskrit transcript of Pandit Subbaraya Sastry’s revelations about Vaimānika Shāstra was recorded by his close associate G. Venkatachala Sharma. A Hindi translation was published in 1959 while the English translation was published in 1973 by G.R. Josyer.
💡 DYK? A study by aeronautical and mechanical engineering researchers at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in 1974 concluded that the aircraft described in the text were aeronautically unfeasible. (Ref: A critical study of the work - VYMANIKA SHASTRA)
🚀 IMHO, VIMANA is a tower above the inner sanctum (Garbhagriha) adorned with intricate sculptures and carvings showcasing the finest craftsmanship of ancient artisans. Also, it's definitely not a RUKMA VIMANA or a SUNDARA VIMANA, it's pseudoscience!
