Vimana
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- This page deals with the flying chariots of Hindu mythology. For the pyramidical roof-towers of south Indian temple architecture, refer to Vimanam
A vimāna is a mythological flying machine, described in the ancient literature of India.
References to flying machines are commonplace in ancient Indian texts, which even describe their use in warfare. Apart from being able to fly within the Earth's atmosphere, vimānas were also said to be able to travel into space and travel submerged under water. Descriptions in the Vedas and later Indian literature detail vimānas of various shapes and sizes:
- In the Vedas: the sun and several other vedic deities are transported in their peregrinations by flying, wheeled chariots pulled by animals, usually horses (the Vedic god Pūsan's chariot is however pulled by goats).
- The "agnihotra-vimāna" with two engines. (Agni means fire in Sanskrit.)
- The "gaja-vimāna" with more engines. (Gaja means elephant in Sanskrit.)
- Other types named after the kingfisher, the ibis, and other animals.
Some modern UFO enthusiasts have pointed to the Vimana as evidence for advanced technological civilizations in the distant past, or as support for the ancient astronaut theory. Others have linked the flying machines to the legend of the Nine Unknown Men.
Etymology and usage
The word comes from Sanskrit and seems to be vi-māna = "apart — having been measured". The meaning of the word likely changed in this sequence:
- An area of land measured out and set apart to be used for sacred purposes.
- Temple.
- A god's palace.
- In the Rāmāyana: the demon-lord Rāvana's flying palace called Pushpaka.
- In later Indian writings: other flying vehicles, and sometimes as a poetic word for ordinary ground vehicles.
Other meanings
- In most modern Indian languages, the word vimāna means ordinary, real aircraft.
- The distinctive pyramidical roof-towers of south Indian temples are called "Vimanams"
- The Buddhist book Vimānavatthu (Pali for "Vimāna Stories") uses the word "vimāna" with a different meaning: "a small piece of text used as the inspiration for a Buddhist sermon".