MARUTVĀMALA In south India, at the southern tip of the Sahya ranges, a mountain reputed for medicinal herbs, may still be seen. This mountain is known by the name “Marutvāmala”. A legend connected with the origin of this mountain, is given in Uttara Rāmāyaṇa, as follows:--
Malayālam | Tamil | Arabic |
1. Ciṅṅam | Āvaṇi | Muharram |
2. Kanni | Puraṭṭāśi | Safar |
3. Tulām | Aippaśi | Yulavan |
4. Vṛścikam | Kārttikai | Utsani |
5. Dhanu | Mārkali | Jamadul Avval |
6. Makaram | Tai | Jamatutsani |
7. Kumbham | Māśi | Rajab |
8. Mīnam | Paṅkuni | Ṣāvāl |
9. Meḍam | Cittirai | Ramzān |
10. Iḍavam | Vaikāśi | Śavvāl |
11. Mithunam | Āni | Dulhaj |
12. Karkaṭakam | Āṭi | Dulhaj |
. It was the time of the battle between Śrī Rāma and Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa's younger brother Vibhīṣaṇa joined the side of Rāma and fought against Rāvaṇa. The enraged Rāvaṇa shot his arrow at Vibhīṣaṇa. In his endeavour to save Vibhīṣaṇa, Lakṣmaṇa fell down unconscious. Rāma and his followers discussed how Lakṣmaṇa could be revived. Jāmbavān observed that there was a herb called “Droṇam” in one of the peaks of the Himālayas and if it was brought at once, Lakṣmaṇa could be restored to his senses. Hanūmān flew to the Himālayas immediately. But although he combed the forests there, he was not able to find the herb Droṇam. So he tore away and lifted a whole peak which was full of all kinds of medicinal herbs and returned to Laṅkā. Jāmbavān took the needed herbs from it and deposited the peak at the southern end of India. This is the present Marutvāmala. (Mala means mountain).