“S.R.Krishnamurthy” <srkmurthy36@gmail.com> Dec 01 , 2011
वाल्मीकि महर्षिः विमानानां विषये अद्भुतवर्णानाni ददाति ॥ I will reproduce the
stanzas for the benefit of scholars, since these have been ignored by the
‘critical editors’, who declare that Valmiki did not see and that kharaaH
were donkeys. I have already mentioned that Kharas were planes – खे रंहते
इति खरः खे रौति इति च ॥
See what he says in 3.31 on Ravana’s first sojourn to Maricha.
[Having said so (to Akampana) Ravana left by a white chariot drawn by ‘Kharas’, lighting up all the directions. (34).
That chariot of the King of demons, fleeting in the starry path, shone like a moon in the midst of clouds. (35)]
It is clear from the above two verses that the first sojourn of Ravana to Maricha was during the night; and that it was a flight in the sky (nakshatrapatha). Valmiki is explicit about it. Again, he portrays in 3-35.
कामगं रथमास्थाय शुशुभे राक्षसाधिपः |
विद्युन्मन्दलवान मेघः सबलाकः इवाम्बरे||3-35-10
[Having mounted the crane-like autocraft, the demon king shone like cloud with a lightning]. This verse shows two things. That khara looked like a fast flying bird of the crane family (balaakaH); and his vehicle (kaamagah) was sailing in the air like a cloud. It also indicates that Ravana had the complexion of the cloud and that the balaka was white
as lightning. This agrees with the description in 3-31-34 above: *aadityavarNena* (white).
kaa~ज्चनोरश्चदाश्चेमे पिशाचवदनाः खराः ॥
भीमरूपा महाकायाः ……….||3-64-46
पिशाचावदनैर्युक्तं खरैः कनकभूषणैः|3-35-6
मेघप्रतिमनादेन स तेन ………… ययौ |7
How was the Khara? Valmiki says that the front had the look of a fiend, horrendous to look (pishaachavadana) and that it had a big hull (bhImarUpaa mahaakaaya). So, it was obviously a lifeless object. It droned like a
thunder (meghapratimanaada). It obviously had wings (balaakasadrushaH).
Pishacha belongs to devayoni (vide Amarakosha); a specie like ET. It has no life like the creatures of this world. It is balaakaH; providing with power (balaa). All these features described by Valmiki fits in with a powerful motor (engine). So according to Valmiki, Ravana left by a craft fitted with powerful engines. The chariot was obviously an aircraft.
These are some excerpts from my book. as suggested by Dr.N.R.Joshi, I have posted the same here; since I have not so far come across this description in any review of Ramayana
संस्कृताध्ययनम् । 
There are many versions of the Ramayana. Would you know if verses describing aeroplanes occur in the other versions as well?
Dear Mr. Sandeep,
The specific mention of “Valmiki Ramayana” is primarily to refer to that version of Ramayana.
As noted in the post, I made this post from posting by Mr. S. R. Krishnamurthy at another forum. This post is mainly for reference /record for my further study.