India is a country of tradition and culture and is rich in history. Many historical significances and cultures lead to mythological theories and one such theory we all know is Ramayana. Yes, Ramayana is proven to be true because much mythological evidence has been found which shows that it could be true. One such piece of evidence is the Ram Setu bridge.
If you don’t know about the bridge then you might be wondering what is this bridge exactly related to Ramayana. Well, the bridge was constructed when Ravana abducted Sita and took her to his Lanka, and to rescue Sita, Lord Ram decided to go by himself and find her. While searching for the Sita, they had to cross the sea which directly connects Lanka from Tamil Nadu. To cross the sea the Vanar Sena (Monkey Armies) constructed a pathway with floating rocks while chanting the name of Rama, and with the name of Lord Rama engraved on it, which made it unsinkable so that Lord Ram can walk and cross the sea. That pathway or bridge is called the Ram Setu Bridge or Adam’s bridge.
Over time, the bridge has been destroyed by a natural disaster, but little part remains that we can see from the ocean. Now, to study the structure and its formation the research team has started an underwater exploration to determine if the structure is as old as the Ramayana period. However, the Ram Setu bridge is a chain of natural mineral shoals between Pamban Island or called Rameswaram Island in Tamil Nadu to connect Mannar island in Sri Lanka.
Let’s talk about the facts and evidence that has been found. The total length of the Ram Setu bridge is approximately 48-50km. the bridge also separates the gulf of Mannar from the Palk Straight. And the sea around this bridge is shallow which is ranging from 3 feet to 30 feet deeper. According to the research and some reports, the bridge was completely above sea level and visible until 1480 B.C. but later over the years, it was damaged or destroyed by the cyclone in that area. Until the 15th century, it was able to passable on the foot until the channel deepened.
Furthermore, there is also some geological evidence found that proves that the bridge is made up of limestone shoals and is a linear sequence of coral reefs. There is also proof that the bridge is built up of floating rocks that are found scattered across the Rameswaram. The scientists found that maybe the rocks are volcanic rocks because they do float on water. And this geological evidence proves that this bridge was earlier a land connection between India and Sri Lanka.
There is a shred of geological evidence to prove that the bridge was earlier a land connection between India and Sri Lanka. The bridge is made up of limestone shoals and is a linear sequence of coral reefs. There is also proof that the bridge is made up of floating rocks that are found scattered across the Rameswaram and those floating rocks are believed to be the volcanic rocks that float on water.
The Sethusamudram project was proposed to build a shortcut route from Pamban Island, Tamil Nadu to Mannar island in Sri Lanka. But the project could destroy, which had existed for thousands of years. Oceanography research suggests that the bridge is 7,000 years old, 7th century BCE to the 3rd century CE. Ram Setu also known as Adam’s Bridge, Nala Setu, Setu Banda, and another name, is the only archaeological and historical evidence of Ramayana. Ram Setu is a holy bridge and no bridge should be built over it.
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There is history and truth behind the Ram Setu bridge. There are many theories related to it and according to one of those theories, there was an actual land connection between India and Sri Lanka during the Ice Age. As per one another theory, Sri Lanka was considered a part of the mainland Indian subcontinent and it was believed to have broken away around 1,25,000 years ago.
There are a lot of research and studies about the bridge and recently, Raj Bhagat Palanichamy, who works as a GIS and remote sensing analyst at World Resources Institute.
The bridge first appeared or was seen in Ibn Khordadbeh’s Book of Roads and Kingdoms (c. 850), in the book, it is referred to as Set Bandhai or Bridge of the Sea. Other sources described this bridge as the context of Adam, which is crossing over to India from Sri Lanka via the bridge, after their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, which leads to the name Adam’s Bridge. A mountain in Sri Lanka was referred to as Adam’s Peak where Adam was believed to fell to earth around the 19th century 1804 when the earliest map that calls this area Adam’s bridge and since then it is called Adam’s bridge.
