The lost city of Atlantis
The story of Atlantis is a mythological tale
that has fascinated people for centuries. According to the ancient Greek
philosopher Plato, Atlantis was a powerful and advanced civilization that
existed around 9,000 years before his time. The story of Atlantis has been
passed down through various ancient texts, and although it is considered a
myth, it continues to captivate the imagination of people around the world.
Plato first mentioned Atlantis in his dialogues
"Timaeus" and "Critias." He described it as a large island
nation that was situated beyond the "Pillars of Hercules," which are
believed to be the modern-day Strait of Gibraltar. Atlantis was said to have
been a prosperous and technologically advanced society that was ruled by a
powerful king named Atlas.
The story of Atlantis has captured the
imagination of people throughout history. Many have searched for evidence of
its existence, but no conclusive evidence has been found. Some believe that
Atlantis was a real place, while others see it as a purely fictional story.
Nonetheless, the story of Atlantis has become an enduring legend that continues
to inspire writers, artists, and filmmakers to this day.
The lost city of Dwarka
On the other hand, according to the ancient Hindu epic,
the Mahabharata, Dwarka was founded by Lord Krishna himself after he defeated
his evil uncle Kansa. The city was built on the banks of the Gomti River and
was said to have been surrounded by a massive wall made of gold. It was also
known for its grand palaces, beautiful gardens, and bustling markets.
The people of Dwarka were highly skilled in agriculture,
trade, and metallurgy. They were known for their excellent shipbuilding skills
and had a thriving maritime trade with other ancient civilizations. Dwarka was
also known for its advanced irrigation system, which allowed the city to
prosper even in the arid climate of the region.
The story of Dwarka has been passed down through generations
and is still celebrated in India today. The city is believed to have been a
symbol of prosperity, knowledge, and advanced technology in ancient times. Its
story continues to inspire people around the world to this day.
The connection between
Atlantis and Dwarka
On the onset, both were prosperous
cities whose technologies were way ahead of their times. Both the cities boast
as the residences of advance civilizations and both the cities were submerged
by the flood which took with it the entire population of the cities and the
stories also revolve around the same time. So lets discuss the reasons of downfall
of both the great cities.
The Downfall of Atlantis
As per the folklore the Atlanteans
eventually became corrupt and greedy, which led to their downfall. They became
aggressive and began to conquer neighboring lands. Eventually, the gods became
angry with them and decided to punish them. A catastrophic event, such as a
great earthquake or a massive flood, destroyed Atlantis and caused it to sink
into the ocean, never to be seen again.
The Downfall of Dwarka
As per the Mahabharata
(Ancient Hindu Text), after the war of Kurkshetra, Sri Krishna was cursed by Queen
Gandhari that Yadu vansha (clan of Sri Krishna and residents of Dwarka) will perish
just like all her 100 sons were perished in the great war. Sri Krishna smilingly
obliged and accepted the curse. Just like in the tale of Atlantis, it was believed
that the people of Dwarka become corrupt and greedy and one day the soldiers
after extreme inebriation started killing the fellow soldiers. This escalated
into an in fighting and soon the people also started killing each other. The
gods become angry at this behavior and punished the people of Dwarka with
massive floods which sunk Dwarka into the Arabian Sea.
The further connection
Well, the only proof of Atlantis
existing is Plato's dialogues Timaeus and Critias, all other knowledge about Atlantis
is derived from them. But in 1960s archaeological findings near the coast of
Gujarat (the place near which Dwarka was established) into the Arabian Sea, unearthed
some rare findings such as ancient Hindu artefacts which prove the existence that
there was indeed a city at that place. Still, underwater archeologists are
looking for the foundations of the city walls to further the proof of its
existence.
Through ancient times India
and Greece both have been very strong, dominant and thriving civilizations. The
trade between the two countries existed even then. Through trade various cultures,
traditions also get traded and with them the stories. Conclusively, it is
highly likely that the story of Atlantis is only the story of Dwarka retold
through the trade routes in ancient times and when again retold through Plato
it gained recognition.
This relationship between
Greece and India sounds to strange to be true but historical records prove
otherwise. India and Greece have long established relationships. When Alexander
the Great attacked the subcontinent many of its army soldiers chose to stay in
the country. The village Malana in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India is
said to have been established by them. Megasthenes, a Greek historian and
diplomat visited Patliputra during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya (around 250
BCE) gave a detailed account of his visit and documented the same in his book Indica. He also wrote about the
prehistoric arrival of God Dionysus in India which Indians named as Nysian. It is well established that
there was a great communication between the two countries even during the
ancient times.
Thus, travelling of the
most famous story of the India subcontinent to the west is not at all surprising.
However, it is upto debate and perception of the reader to draw their own conclusions
based on the information provided in the blog post.
Thank you for reading.
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