Was Ravana's Lanka located at equatorial Zone?

 

Valmiki Ramayana did not specify the exact location of Ravana’s Lanka, except for the following information

• It was located in the midst of ocean,
• 100 yojanas away in the Southern direction from the then Indian southernmost point.

Hence, we need to explore for subtle hints given by Sage Valmiki.

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1)     According to Valmiki Ramayana, with a view to searching Seeta at Lanka in Southern direction, Shri Hanuman flew 100 Yojanas in Southern direction over the ocean.

अञ्जलिं प्राङ्मुखः कृत्वा पवनायात्मयोओनयो |
ततो हि ववृधे गन्तुं दक्षिणो दक्षिणां दिश्म् || (Sundara Kanda 1 Sarga 9 sloka)

Hanuma turned towards east, saluted his father, the Lord of Wind and increased his body to go towards southern direction - दक्षिणां दिश्म्.

योजनानां शतं श्रीमांस्तीर्त्वाप्युत्तमविक्रमः |
अनिःस्वसन् कपिस्तत्र न ग्लानिमधिगच्छति || (Sundara Kanda 2 Sarga 3 sloka)

The glorious Hanuma with the best courage, even though crossing a hundred yojanas, was without a sigh and did not obtain any tiredness.

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If we calculate the the distance Sri Hanuma covered in terms of Kilometres, it will work out to 1,300 Kms (13 Kms x 100 Yojanas). And, Sri Hunuma travelled 1,300 Kms in the Southern direction but not in the South-East direction.

The present day Sri Lanka is at a distance of 24 kilometers (approx.) from Rameshwaram and it is in the South-East direction from India but not in the Southern Direction.

Hence, the present day Sri Lanka cannot be the Lanka of Ravana.

If 1,300 Kms in the Southern direction is measured, we can infer that Ravana’s Lanka might have existed somewhere at the equitorial zone (0 degrees latitude).

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2) It was narrated in Sundara kanda that Trees that give fruits and flowers in all seasons (सर्वर्तुफलपुष्पितैः) had been seen in Lanka, by Shri Hanuman.

संततान् विविधैर्वऋकैः सर्वर्तुफलपुष्पितैः |
उद्यानानि च रम्याणि ददर्श कपिकुञ्जरः || (Sundara Kanda 2nd Sarga 13th Sloka)

"Hanuma saw various glorious pleasure-groves filled by various trees that give fruits and flowers in all seasons and beautiful gardens ."

2) After reaching Asoka Garden, Sri Hanuma observes the beautiful flora in that Garden.

नन्दनम् विविध उद्यानम् चित्रम् चैत्ररथम् यथा || ५-१५-११
अतिवृत्तम् इव अचिन्त्यम् दिव्यम् रम्यम् श्रिया वृतम् |
द्वितीयम् इव च आकाशम् पुष्प ज्योतिर् गण आयुतम् || ५-१५-१२
पुष्प रत्न शतैः चित्रम् पन्चमम् सागरम् यथा |
सर्व ऋतु पुष्पैर् निचितम् पादपैर् मधु गन्धिभिः || ५-१५-१३
नाना निनादैः उद्यानम् रम्यम् मृग गणैर् द्विजैः |
अनेक गन्ध प्रवहम् पुण्य गन्धम् मनो रमम् || (Sundara Kanda 15th Sarga 11 -14th Slokas)

"Like the garden of Nandana, a celestial garden, wonderful like Caitraratham, a garden of Kubera, surpassing all, unfathomable, an excellent one, a beautiful one consisting of glory together with flowers like clusters of stars, like a second sky wonderful with flowers, like hundreds of diamonds, like a second ocean with flowers of all seasons, spread with trees having the smell of honey, beautiful with groups of animals of various sounds, diffused with many smells with an auspicious soul pleasing smell."

It is necessary to study the following phrase used by Sage Valmiki :

सर्वर्तुफलपुष्पितैः - Trees that give fruits and flowers in all seasons

Modern researches revealed that the equatorial zone on the Earth has the special climatic feature of allowing the trees to bear flowers and fruits in all seasons.

Hence, existence of Ravana’s Lanka at the equatorial zone is highly probable.

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3) In the episode of Shri Hanuman’s setting of fire to buildings in Lanka, it was clearly mentioned that the fire spread rapidly and the entire Lanka got engulfed in the fire and destroyed.

श्वसनेन च सम्योगात् अतिवेगो महाबलः |
काल अग्निः इव जज्वाल प्रावर्धत हुत अशनः || ५-५४-२१

In contact with the wind, the fire escalated with a great speed and intensity, blazing like a fire that is to destroy the world.

प्रदीप्तम् अग्निम् पवनः तेषु वेश्मसु चारयत् |
अभूच्छ्वसनसम्योगादतिवेगो हुताशनः || ५-५४-२२

The wind carried the blazing fire to other houses. In conjunction with the wind, the fire became very swift.

आदित्यकोटीसदृशः सुतेजा |
लङ्काम् समस्ताम् परिवार्य तिष्ठन् |
शब्दैरनेकैरशनिप्ररूडै |
र्भिन्दन्निवाण्डम् प्रबभौ महाग्निः || ५-५४-३३

The great fire persisted, surrounding the entire Lanka, having a good splendour equal to that of millions of suns and blazed like a broken-up hemi-sphere of the world, creating many sounds of a wide-spread thunderbolt.

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The buildings constructed with bricks, mortar and sand would not catch fire easily, though the wooden doors and windows might get damaged in a fire accident.

If we consider that the mansions, including pillars in Ravana’s Lanka were constructed by Visvakarma with wood, then there was a bright chance those mansions catching the fire set by Shri Hanuman quickly.

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Now, a question may arise as to why the buildings, mansions in Lanka were constructed with wood, instead of with bricks, mortar and sand?

The reason could be that high quality wood must have been available in abundant quantity in Lanka, and thus Visvakarma, who constructed Lanka, must have made use that high quality wood.

It is to be noted that high quality wood in abundant quantity will be available in the equatorial zone. And, as Ravana’s Lanka existed in equatorial zone, high quality wood must have been available in abundant quantity in Lanka.

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The inference is that Ravana’s Lanka might have existed in equatorial zone.

Either Lanka might have been drowned in ocean due to raise of ocean water or got drifted to another place during continental drifts.