Research Article Written by london swaminathan
Date: 6 February 2016
Post No. 2515
Time uploaded in London :– 16-12
( Thanks for the Pictures )
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Long long ago, 50, 000 years ago, a group of people migrated to Australia via South India and Indonesia. Then there was only one religion that was known as Sanatan Dharma, meaning the Eternal law. Later Greeks and Parsis (Persians) called these people Hindus, because they encountered them first beyond the River Sindhu. ‘S’ became ‘H’ in their languages.
I developed some interest in the study of aborigines after reading Kanchi Paramacharya’s (1894-1994) lectures in Chennai. He gave a detailed map of Hindu vestiges around the world. Referring to the Australian aborigines he quoted a book where in the dance of the aborigines was called ‘Shiva dance’ and they wore white paints like the Saivaite Vibhuti/holy ash marks. Later came a report of the dancer Padma Subramaniam in the Tamil dailies that she noted at least 20 Tamil words in the languages of aborigines. She watched their dance especially arranged for her. When I went to Sydney in January 2016 my in laws booked us a ticket for the Cricket match between India and Australia. I told them plainly that I was more interested in the study of aborigines than the cricket match. So my ticket was given to one of their friends and only my wife and sons went to the match with them. I went to the Australia Museum where there was a big section about the aborigines. I was surprised to see lot of similarities with the Hindus.
For long I was wondering why the aborigines held the Ayers Rock in esteem like our Mount Kailash. It stands as a solitary rock in the middle of a vast desert. Whether it is the Mt Meru of Kenya or the Fujiyama of Japan, all solitary rocks or volcanoes or hills are worshipped as Divine entities. This is nothing but Hindu in approach. So the Australian aborigines’ worship of Ayer’s rock is similar to the Hindu worship of Mount Kailash. The original name of the sacred solitary rock is Uluru. It was named after Sir Henry Ayers, an Australian officer. Anyway it is nothing but Mt Kailash of Australia. So Kanchi Shakaracharya’s comparison of Vibhuti and Siva Dance has one more similarity i.e. Ayers rock and Mt Kailash.
The similarities don’t stop there. As soon as I entered the Australia Museum in Sydney, I saw a big board about their veneration for their elders. There is only one culture in the whole wide world that respects elders, that is Hindu culture. We can’t see such veneration in Ten Commandments or any other religious book. The first thing taught to the Vedic students was Mata, Pita Guru/ Deivam (Mother, father, teacher and/are God(s). Not only that, one of the daily Pancha Yajnas (five tasks) is the worship of ancestors. The Vedas are the oldest scriptures in the world. Those Vedas praise “their ancestors” (Purvebhayo Rishi:)! That means they are talking about thousands of years before the Rig Vedic times. The Australian aborigines also held Elders in high esteem. All male elders are called uncles and female elders are called aunties by the aorigines. It is practised in Hindu families until today:
Look at the board:
Some of their beliefs about life, death, natural forces like water, fire, wind etc., Gotras(neighbour groups) and the animals are sililar to the Vedic beliefs. When I read them in the museum I was reminded of the Vedic mantras. I will deal with them in the second part of this article. Now I will conclude by giving a Vedic Mantra where elders were praised:
“Gone are the mortals who in former ages
Beheld the flushing of the early morning;
We living men now look upon her shining;
Those will be born who shall hereafter see her” –(R.V.1-113-2 A A Macdonells Translation)
Kailash= Uluru= Fujiyama=Mt Meru
Mountain Lord, we speak to thee with blissful words,
“So that all that is moving and living
May, free from disease, have happiness of heart” — (Y.V.Vs 16-4)
Even the Brahmins invoke Gayatri three times every day from the High Mountains. After the prayer she is requested to go back to the top of the hills (Uttame Sikare Devi……)
So God in the mountain is part of a Hindu belief. It is no wonder the solitary hill is revered by the aborigines. It is the Mount Kailash of Australia!
One more amazing similarity is that the people who hold this sandstone rock a sacred object are ‘ANANGU’ people. The word Anangu is used in Sangam Tamil literature lot of times to denote divinities, venerable spirits that occupy all natural objects rocks, water sources, hills and holy places! Somehow the old Tamil world has crept into their language.
Picture of Uluru (Ayers Rock in Australia)
To be continued………………..
Tamil and Vedas 
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