Ancient Epic Flight Measured in Millions of Kilometres Sparks Heritage Debate

The concrete rupture emerged when researchers published a geospatial analysis that quantified the legendary avian voyage described in the Ramayana, assigning it a distance comparable to three trips to the Moon. The study, released in Patna, instantly captured media attention across the nation. Underlying tension lies in the clash between academic interpretation and traditional custodians of the epic. Scholars argue that the metric offers a fresh lens for cultural tourism, while religious groups caution against commodifying a sacred narrative. The downstream outcome includes proposals by the Bihar tourism department to develop a series of way‑stations and interpretive centres along the imagined route, potentially injecting millions of rupees into local economies and reshaping the state's cultural branding.