Swiss adventurer Yves Rossy demonstrates his jet-powered wing during a test flight in May 2008. Rossy -- who calls himself "Fusion Man" — landed in Britain after crossing the English Channel from France using only his a jet-powered wing (AFP/File/Fabrice Coffrini).
Icon of Garuda, Srirangapattana Temple artifact, Karnataka, India (© Vikas Kamat has compiled a fascinating array of pictures depicting the man-bird Garuda in Indian Art).
Garudas,
Suparnas, and
Kinnaras are half-men, half-bird hybrids. These chimeras were said to live north of India. With the ability to fly, there is a suggestion of Aryan (modern Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, upper-Indus Valley civilization) being influenced by extraterrestrial sources — sufficiently technologically advanced to fly.
The Vedas were reporting flying craft (
vimana) thousands of years ago [as previously covered by WQ]. Whether utilizing jetpacks, wings, or hybrid biology, human flight were known even by the time of the Buddha (twenty-five centuries ago), and many canonical references are made to them. The Kinnaras inhabit their own
kingdom.
Have such things — chimeras or the technology for individual flight — ever existed? Do they exist now? (Yes,
we have video). Would it even be genetically possible to sprout wings? (They were for this modern cat).
Swiss daredevil Yves Rossy, seen here flying in May 2008, propelled by a jet-powered wing strapped to his back, an aide said (AFP/File/Fabrice Coffrini).
Swiss man flies over Channel on jet wing
David Stringer (AP) DOVER, England — A Swiss daredevil crossed the English Channel strapped to a homemade jet-propelled wing Friday, parachuting into a field near the white cliffs of Dover after a 10-minute solo flight.
Yves Rossy leapt from a plane at more than 8,800 feet, fired up his jets, and made the 22-mile trip from Calais in France. Rossy passed over a thin strip of land in front of South Foreland lighthouse, looped over onlookers, and opened his parachute, his wings still strapped to his back.
"It was perfect. Blue sky, sunny, no clouds, perfect conditions," he said. "We prepared everything and it was great."
The trip across the Channel is meant to trace the route of French aviator Louis Bleriot, the first person to cross in an airplane 99 years ago. The lighthouse was the site of Guglielmo Marconi's experiments with radio telegraphy in 1898. Bleriot used the white building as a target during his pioneering flight, the building's manager, Simon Ovenden, said.
Several hundred spectators rushed to greet the pilot, trying to take photographs with cameras and cell phones. "It's a remarkable achievement, we saw the climax of his attempt as he came down to earth with his parachute. It's been an exciting afternoon," said Geoff Clark, a 54-year-old onlooker from Chatham, in Kent.
The carbon composite-wing weighs about 121 pounds when loaded with fuel, and carried four kerosene-burning jet turbines that kept him aloft. The wing had no steering devices. Instead, Rossy moved his body to control its movements.
He wore a heat-resistant suit similar to that worn by firefighters and racing drivers to protect him from the heat of the turbines. The cooling effect of the wind and high altitude also prevented him from getting too hot. Mark Dale, the senior technical officer for the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, described Rossy's flight as a "fabulous stunt."
Yves Rossy parachutes in to land, after crossing the English channel with a jetpack, in Dover, southern England 9/26/08 (Reuters/Kieran Doherty).
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The Mythological Story of Garuda
According to the Hindu
Puranas,
Garuda is the son of the sage Kashyapa [Kassapa] and Vinata. His elder brother is Aruna, the charioteer of Sun god
Surya. Vinata and her sister Kadru once saw the heavenly horse Uchhaisravas grazing near the seashore. Vinata said it was a pure white steed. Kadru insisted that its tail was black. They went on arguing until Kadru suggested that they come the next day and check again. Whoever was incorrect would have to become the slave of the other.
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Finding that her observation was incorrect, Kadru with her son Karkota's help, painted Uchhaishrava's tail black. And poor Vinata became her slave. When Garuda, also the son of a slave, had to serve Kadru and her sons, who were serpents (
nagas), he was very much annoyed. He approached Kadru and asked how he and his mother could be liberated. She told him that the only way was to bring nectar (
Amrita) from the land of "gods" (
devas). With the blessings of his father, Garuda set off for the celestial realm of the gods.
After reaching that world, Garuda fought the guards who kept a vigil on the pot of nectar and crossed the hurdles of various weapons.
Lord Indra had also come to recover the nectar of immortality. Garuda faced him fearlessly. Pleased with his valor, Indra allowed him to take the
Amrita-kalasha (pot of nectar) but warned that the serpents should not have access to it.
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He also blessed him that he would have a diet of serpents. Garuda flew back and placed the nectar pot before Kadru, who wanted her progeny to become immortal. She ordered them to have a bath before having a drink of the nectar. When the reptiles [Reptilians] left to bathe, Indra appeared and carried the pot back to heaven. When the serpents returned there was no nectar. They tried to lick the drops fallen on grass, which split their tongues.
Thereafter Garuda flew to freedom with his mother and later became the vehicle of
Lord Vishnu. Garuda (Indian eagle) is never seen eating carrion as vultures do but is supposed a clean bird. Known for speed, it flies very high in the sky. It became a symbol of courage, faithfulness, and unflinching duty. There are many sacred places named after Garuda. Suparna (with prettier wings) is another popular name of this mighty anthropomorphic bird.
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