Agra, Jan 13 (IANS): The Indic civilisation could be 24,000 years old, according to available research documentation, claims author Neelesh Neelkanth Oak citing "configuration of stars in the Mahabharata, Ramayana and the Vedas."

Oak was addressing a meeting of local intellectuals at the Engineering Institute of Agra University on Monday.

He said scientific investigation of new material, and the "configuration of stars as described in the Mahabharata, Ramayana and the Vedas, clearly indicated that the Indic civilisation was much older than 3,500 years as estimated by western historians.

"Astronomical data of major events described in our epics points to the antiquity of our civilisation," he added.

The positioning of various stars, 'nakshatras' like Arundhati and Vashishth, establish the date of Mahabharata war as 5561 BC, he said.

He lamented people today know more about western scientists than our own Aryabhata, Varahmira or Sushruta.

Oak has written two popular books 'When did the Mahabharata war happen: The mystery of Arundhati' and 'The historic Rama" while his third 'Bheesma Nirvan' is soon to be published.