The Velikovsky Code
The Da Vinci Code, an exciting thriller filled with stolen ideas, inaccurate (and/or false) information and wild extrapolation of "evidences" was a book that entralled millions over the globe in 2003-04. During 2004-05, I came across many people over the net, who were only extremely excited to talk about this book and discuss its contents. I tried to talk to many of them about another author who had written books on such topics way back in the 1950s, '60s and '70s; but probably most of the people I talked to considered me to be either a stupid or a spoilsport.
That person was Immanuel Velikovsky, a Russian Jewish scholar who, along with Albert Einstein, was instrumental in founding the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel in 1925. Velikovsky was a multi-faceted scholar; many of his works are, however, often refered to as "Pseudo-Science".
The first book by Velikovsky I read is, Oedipus and Akhnaton. This book caught my eyes when I was sitting in the living room of my Professor, and having nothing to do I was browsing through the book-shelf. Since the title was intriguing, I asked him if I could borrow it, which he let me do, but with a cautionary word that this person often shuffled every Archaelogical information (and thus considered irrevelant by most Archaelogists) though he was an excellent read.
Science or Pseudo-Science, this book opened my eyes to many interesting issues and many things. This book, for example, taught me that Akhnaton (Akhen Aton or Amenhotep IV) could well be the person, who introduced the concept of Mono-Atheism to (at least, his part of) the world. Interestingly, this book perhaps resulted from a paper Velikovsky had written counter Sigmund Freud's views in his paper Moses and Monotheism (and for which Velikovsky had to face a lot of brickbats!).
I also learnt from this book a feature common to many saviors or heroes: A tyrranical king, who embarks on a infanticide, following a divine prediction, to avoid danger; a child separated from his family and drifted away to a far off land for his safety; the kid's return as a grown up to his own land to educate or rule his people etc. Velikovsky mentions Jesus Christ, Oedipus and Akhnaton; but I would also like to add the name of Lord Krishna to the list.
Oedipus and Akhnaton also taught me how close the Indian culture/history was to that of the then Persia. Kings with names such as Asurabanipal and Dusaratta (Dhritarashtra?) would perhaps testify to that fact.
His book is full of parallels between the lives of Oedipus and Akhnaton. I don't know how much of these are true (for example, Velikovksy's reconstruction of Tutankhamen's murder episode is perhaps not valid anymore); but any given day, I would prefer Oedipus and Akhnaton to Da Vinci Code. I enjoyed reading Da Vinci Code, but its kind of blending is not exactly what I enjoy reading.
That person was Immanuel Velikovsky, a Russian Jewish scholar who, along with Albert Einstein, was instrumental in founding the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel in 1925. Velikovsky was a multi-faceted scholar; many of his works are, however, often refered to as "Pseudo-Science".
The first book by Velikovsky I read is, Oedipus and Akhnaton. This book caught my eyes when I was sitting in the living room of my Professor, and having nothing to do I was browsing through the book-shelf. Since the title was intriguing, I asked him if I could borrow it, which he let me do, but with a cautionary word that this person often shuffled every Archaelogical information (and thus considered irrevelant by most Archaelogists) though he was an excellent read.
Science or Pseudo-Science, this book opened my eyes to many interesting issues and many things. This book, for example, taught me that Akhnaton (Akhen Aton or Amenhotep IV) could well be the person, who introduced the concept of Mono-Atheism to (at least, his part of) the world. Interestingly, this book perhaps resulted from a paper Velikovsky had written counter Sigmund Freud's views in his paper Moses and Monotheism (and for which Velikovsky had to face a lot of brickbats!).
I also learnt from this book a feature common to many saviors or heroes: A tyrranical king, who embarks on a infanticide, following a divine prediction, to avoid danger; a child separated from his family and drifted away to a far off land for his safety; the kid's return as a grown up to his own land to educate or rule his people etc. Velikovsky mentions Jesus Christ, Oedipus and Akhnaton; but I would also like to add the name of Lord Krishna to the list.
Oedipus and Akhnaton also taught me how close the Indian culture/history was to that of the then Persia. Kings with names such as Asurabanipal and Dusaratta (Dhritarashtra?) would perhaps testify to that fact.
His book is full of parallels between the lives of Oedipus and Akhnaton. I don't know how much of these are true (for example, Velikovksy's reconstruction of Tutankhamen's murder episode is perhaps not valid anymore); but any given day, I would prefer Oedipus and Akhnaton to Da Vinci Code. I enjoyed reading Da Vinci Code, but its kind of blending is not exactly what I enjoy reading.
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