Reconciling Myth and Science

The Hindu is joining the discussion about laughable claims made nowadays in regard to mind-blowing scientific and technological progress in ancient India. Authors who ought to remain buried are being given a voice to mouth inanities about the need to be rational and scientific.
Read this:
Scientists debunk ancient spacecraft claims

Now I think even I have something to say on this:

1. Old Indian mythology is full of inventions that compare well with man's latest and greatest inventions. Rama's arrow that he diverted from drying up the ocean before the Setu was built is supposed to have created a desert when it struck northwest India. Pushpaka Vimana, miraculous multiple births etc. are commonplace.
2. Our rishis had astounding observations on astronomy and pathbreaking contributions to mathematics.
3. Nobody in his mind will dispute 1 and 2.
4. That ancient Indians made spacecraft and head transplant etc. are only a part of legend. They cannot be extrapolated to actual scientific and technological constructions because ancient India was not so keen on developing experimental set-ups, the rishis were basically thought leaders.
5. Ayurveda, metallurgical marvels, and our progress in areas like food cultivation, textiles and jewellery are actual achievements from ancient times we can verify and be proud of.
6. If we believe ancient Indians were scientific, we also have to understand they would not make fabulous and unprovable claims. They would welcome the evolution of science in the west eagerly as AN EXPERIMENTAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THEIR THOUGHTS AND CONCEPTS. The resultant inventions and discoveries would be welcomed by ancient Indians as much as by the western scientific community.
7. In any age and time there are charlatans, progagandists and crazy scientists. Being an ancient civilisation, India would have had its due share of them.

Let us celebrate the Iron pillar. Mohenjadaro and Harappa. Dwaraka. Taxila and Nalanda. Brihadeeshwara temple. The Taj Mahal. These are more than enough to show how great ancient Indians were. Our languages, our cuisine, our yoga, our music, our dance, our festivals, our clothes and adornments, are all proof that we belong to a fabulous and glorious tradition of science and culture. We don't need to fly kites or launch spacecraft 7000 years ago. Or indulge in head transplant to show how great we are.

Finally, let us understand human civilization, science and technology is still a works in progress.