A program on the American Science Channel has reignited interest in a long-standing debate about Ram Setu (also known as Adam's bridge) – a mysterious chain of submerged structures that seems to connect the Indian mainland with Sri Lanka. The program suggests that these structures are not naturally occurring but manmade; lending credence to the theory that this is indeed the Ram Setu or bridge built by Lord Ram.
According to Valmiki’s epic poem Ramayana, the king of Lanka, Ravan, kidnapped Sita, the wife of Lord Ram while the two were living in exile in the jungle for 14 years along with Ram's brother Lakshman. In order to rescue his wife, Ram took assistance of the Vaanar Sena (the monkey army). To transport the army and supplies from the Indian mainland to Lankan shores, a bridge was created by placing huge boulders in the sea.
According to some temple accounts, the ‘bridge’ was above water and possible to navigate on foot till the 15th century, until some storms created changes that deepened the water channel and submerged the rocks. As the aerial image shows, a bridge-like structure does indeed exist across Palk Strait, the narrow sea between India and Sri Lanka.
Consisting of limestone shoals, the bridge seems to connect Rameswaran Island of India and Mannar Island of the coast of Sri Lanka. Many of the structures are very shallow, in places they are only one to ten metres deep, creating great hindrance to the navigation of vessels in that area. Bigger boats are constrained to go around Sri Lanka rather than directly through the Palk Strait.
What Indians know as Ram Setu or Setusamudram is also known as Adam’s Bridge. There is also an Islamic belief that refers to a mountain in Sri Lanka as Adam's Peak, as the location where Adam fell to earth. The name Adam’s bridge came about around the belief that Adam crossed over into India from Sri Lanka via the bridge.
It is an endlessly fascinating subject for historians, mythologists, geologists and other experts. Recent studies showed some startling findings: In the tweeted video, the experts speak of their findings: about sandbars that are natural but with objects placed on them which may not be. The rocks upon the sandbars are older than the sand below them; which seems to suggest that they may have been placed there; after bringing them from a distant location. The rocks are about 7000 years old, while the sand below is only about 4000 years old.
The claims made by Dr Lester and others are tantalising but aren't really new. Such a claim about evidence being found about the bridge being manmade was made in 2002, and NASA had distanced itself from the claim. Astrophysicist J V Narlikar, when contacted in Pune, suggested that there was no evidence of such a mythical bridge. Eminent historian R S Sharma was then reported as saying, "There is no archaeological or literary evidence to support this claim."
The issue had created headlines in 2007 as well, when some NASA pictures were once again proffered as evidence of the existence of Ram Setu. NASA once again denied that such photos could be any kind of proof of the existence of a bridge and also denied claims of carbon dating. According to NASA official, Mark Hess "The mysterious bridge was nothing more than a 30 km long, naturally-occurring chain of sandbanks.” He also said that "NASA had been taking pictures of these shoals for years. Its images had never resulted in any scientific discovery in the area.”
What is different this time around is experts claiming that the stones and the sand beneath have been dated and the results are interesting. Certainly, this old mystery seems to have got a fresh lease of life.
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