Lava (Ramayana)
Encyclopedia
Lava or Luv and his twin brother Kusha
, were the children of the Lord Rama
and his wife Sita
, whose story is recounted in the Ramayana
. Per that text, he is known as the founder of Lavapuri,
that is, the modern day city of Lahore
,
which is named after him. The Southeast Asian country Laos
and the Thai city Lopburi
were both named after him.
The Lohana
s and Leva Gurjar Patidar
s are present-day Indo-Aryan ethnic groups who attest to be descendants of Lava.
had been banished from the kingdom of Ayodhya due to the gossip of kingdom
folk, she took refuge in the ashram
of sage
Valmiki
, which was located in a forest
on the banks of the Tamsa river
. Lava and Kusha were born in this ashram. They were educated and trained in military
skills under the tutelage of Valmiki.
One version of the legend interprets the origin of Lava's twin brother Kusha. As a child, Lava once went missing for a long time. Valmiki, thinking that Sita might panic, took some Kusha (a type of plant) and created from it a boy similar to Lava. Later on, when the real Lava returned, the newly created boy was named after his origin: Kusha.
When Rama performed the Ashvamedha Yagya
, the horse strayed into their forest, which brought them into conflict with their own father. Unaware that Rama was their progenitor, they captured the horse and refused to release it. They engaged in conflict and defeated Rama's brothers (Bharata
, Shatrughna
and Lakshmana
) with ease. Eventually, Rama himself came to confront them in battle, but after witnessing their prowess, he invited them to Ayodhya to perform the Yagya.
It was at that point that he learned of their identity as his sons.
were born in Maharshi Valmiki’s Ashrama. Before their birth Sita had requested Valmiki
to accept her sons as his disciple. Valmiki formally started training Lava and Kusha when they were around 5 years of age. He trained them in archery and they were able to release arrows at the speed of sound. He also taught them about divine & celestial warfare. He made them masters in archery so that no one on this earth could defeat them in war. He established a connection between his mind and Lava and Kusha’s mind and directly transferred all his knowledge to them. After military skills, he taught them the art of singing and playing the veena
(lute). He taught them the Ramayana, which was written by Maharshi Valmiki himself, keeping Rama as the center point. Later, Lava and Kush used their singing skills to infuse love for Sita in the Ayodhya’s people.
(called Lavapuri in ancient times) and Kasur
respectively.
There is a temple associated with Lava (or Loh) inside Shahi Qila, Lahore, Pakistan. The temple is located near the Alamgiri Gate
where the old jails of Lahore Fort
used to be.
Kusha (Ramayana)
Kusha , in Hindu mythology, was one of the twin sons of Lord Rama and Sita . Born in the Forest after Sita had been banished from Ayodhya, they were educated and trained in military skills and were under the care of Sage Valmiki....
, were the children of the Lord Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
and his wife Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
, whose story is recounted in the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
. Per that text, he is known as the founder of Lavapuri,
that is, the modern day city of Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
,
which is named after him. The Southeast Asian country Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
and the Thai city Lopburi
Lopburi
Lopburi ) is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is located about 150 km north-east of Bangkok. As of 2006 it has a population of 26,500...
were both named after him.
The Lohana
Lohana
The Lohana also referred to as Luvana are an Indian caste,largely classified as merchants and are categorized as Vaishya or Bania caste although their ancient history proves that they are Kshatriya of Suryavanshi descant, claiming their lineage from Lava, son of Rama...
s and Leva Gurjar Patidar
Leva Patil
The Leva Patil is a community found in India.- Leva :Leva Patel/Kambi/ Patils claim Suryavanshi origin from Lava , the son of Rama in the Hindu epic Ramayana....
s are present-day Indo-Aryan ethnic groups who attest to be descendants of Lava.
Birth and childhood
After SitaSITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
had been banished from the kingdom of Ayodhya due to the gossip of kingdom
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
folk, she took refuge in the ashram
Ashram
Traditionally, an ashram is a spiritual hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
of sage
Wise old man
The wise old man is an archetype as described by Carl Jung, as well as a classic literary figure, and may be seen as a stock character...
Valmiki
Valmiki
Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e...
, which was located in a forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
on the banks of the Tamsa river
Tamsa River
The Tamsa River is a tributary of the Ganges flowing through the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.-Course:...
. Lava and Kusha were born in this ashram. They were educated and trained in military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
skills under the tutelage of Valmiki.
One version of the legend interprets the origin of Lava's twin brother Kusha. As a child, Lava once went missing for a long time. Valmiki, thinking that Sita might panic, took some Kusha (a type of plant) and created from it a boy similar to Lava. Later on, when the real Lava returned, the newly created boy was named after his origin: Kusha.
When Rama performed the Ashvamedha Yagya
Ashvamedha
The Ashvamedha was one of the most important royal rituals of Vedic religion, described in detail in the Yajurveda...
, the horse strayed into their forest, which brought them into conflict with their own father. Unaware that Rama was their progenitor, they captured the horse and refused to release it. They engaged in conflict and defeated Rama's brothers (Bharata
Bharata (Ramayana)
In the Hindu epic Ramayana, Bharata was the second brother of the main protagonist Rama, and the son of Dasaratha and Kaikeyi. Dasaratha was the Emperor of Ayodhya and belonged to the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty...
, Shatrughna
Shatrughna
Shatrughna was the youngest brother of Lord Rama in the Hindu epic Ramayana . He is the twin brother of Lakshmana.-Birth and family:...
and Lakshmana
Lakshmana
Lakshmana was the brother and close companion of Rama, and himself a hero in the famous epic Ramayana...
) with ease. Eventually, Rama himself came to confront them in battle, but after witnessing their prowess, he invited them to Ayodhya to perform the Yagya.
It was at that point that he learned of their identity as his sons.
Training from Maharshi Valmiki
Lava and KushaKusha (Ramayana)
Kusha , in Hindu mythology, was one of the twin sons of Lord Rama and Sita . Born in the Forest after Sita had been banished from Ayodhya, they were educated and trained in military skills and were under the care of Sage Valmiki....
were born in Maharshi Valmiki’s Ashrama. Before their birth Sita had requested Valmiki
Valmiki
Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e...
to accept her sons as his disciple. Valmiki formally started training Lava and Kusha when they were around 5 years of age. He trained them in archery and they were able to release arrows at the speed of sound. He also taught them about divine & celestial warfare. He made them masters in archery so that no one on this earth could defeat them in war. He established a connection between his mind and Lava and Kusha’s mind and directly transferred all his knowledge to them. After military skills, he taught them the art of singing and playing the veena
Veena
Veena may refer to one of several Indian plucked instruments:With frets*Rudra veena, plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music*Saraswati veena, plucked string instrument used in Carnatic musicFretless...
(lute). He taught them the Ramayana, which was written by Maharshi Valmiki himself, keeping Rama as the center point. Later, Lava and Kush used their singing skills to infuse love for Sita in the Ayodhya’s people.
Founding Lahore and later history
They grew up into just rulers like their father and founded the cities of LahoreLahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
(called Lavapuri in ancient times) and Kasur
Kasur
Kasur , the capital of Kasur District in Pakistan. Kasur is located adjacent to the border of Ganda Singh Wala between Pakistan and India, and is a tourist attraction because of the daily occurring Flags lowering ceremony...
respectively.
There is a temple associated with Lava (or Loh) inside Shahi Qila, Lahore, Pakistan. The temple is located near the Alamgiri Gate
Alamgiri Gate
The Alamgiri Gate , built in 1673 A.D., is the main entrance to the Lahore Fort in present day Lahore, Pakistan. It was constructed to face west towards the Badshahi Mosque in the days of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb...
where the old jails of Lahore Fort
Lahore Fort
The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila is citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore...
used to be.