By Harini Balasubramanian

Ram Setu Bridge (Adam’s Bridge): Scientific and historical facts

Adam’s Bridge or Ram Setu (Rama Setu) is a chain of natural limestone shoals, connecting India and Sri Lanka. There is an ongoing debate if this structure is naturally formed or man-made

There are only a few historical structures across the globe that link mythological and historical theories together. One such construction is Adam’s Bridge, also known as Ram Setu. Recently, the central government approved an underwater exploration, to study the structure and determine the age of the Ram Setu and its formation. This study will also help in understanding if the structure is as old as the Ramayana period. Also, there is a demand to make Ram Setu a national monument, although the matter is sub-judice. With this, it becomes more interesting to know if there are possibilities to link Indian mythology with modern day structures.

The Ram Setu bridge is a chain of natural mineral shoals between Pamban Island or Rameswaram Island in Tamil Nadu, India, and Mannar Island in Sri Lanka. The bridge has a great significance as per Hindu mythology and is mentioned in the Ramayana. the Structure has also intrigued scientists as studies are being undertaken to determine the age of the Ram Sethu bridge.

Moreover, an upcoming Indian movie will be based on Ram Setu. The story will revolve around an archaeologist trying to find if the Ram Setu bridge is a myth or a reality.

Here is everything interesting that you need to know about Adam’s Bridge.

 

Adam’s Bridge

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Ram Setu Bridge (Adam’s Bridge): Proven facts

  • Ram Setu or Adam’s Bridge is a structure akin to a causeway, connecting Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu to Mannar Island in Sri Lanka.
  • The total length of the bridge is approximately 50 kms. Adam’s Bridge also separates the Gulf of Mannar from the Palk Strait. Some of the sandbanks are dry.  The sea around this structure is very shallow, ranging from three ft to 30 ft deep.
  • According to several scientific reports, the bridge was completely above sea level till 1480 but was damaged by a cyclone that hit the area. Till the 15th century, ram setu distance was passable on foot until the channel deepened.
  • After the cyclone struck the region, even ships can no longer navigate in this sea stretch in the Indian Ocean, known as the Palk Strait, as the seabed is too low. However, hundreds of years later, the thin land strip re-emerged from the water, leading to the creation of several small islands and sand banks, redefining the geography of Asia.

See also: All about Chittorgarh Fort, India’s largest fort

  • There is geological evidence to prove that the bridge was earlier a land connection between India and Sri Lanka.
  • There are studies that show that the bridge is made of limestone shoals and is a linear sequence of coral reefs. There is also proof that it is made of floating rocks found scattered across Rameswaram and there are theories that believe volcanic rocks do float on water.
  • The Pamban Island can be accessed from the Indian mainland by the two-km-long Pamban Bridge.
  • As the sea water near the coral reef is very shallow, navigation of ships is impossible, because of which ships have to take roundabout routes, to reach Sri Lanka.
  • The Sethusamudram Project was proposed, to provide a shortcut route from Pamban Island to Mannar Island in Sri Lanka. However, environmentalists say that the project could destroy the natural reefs, which had existed for thousands of years. Although the Sethusamudram Project was planned to be executed by deepening the Pamban pass, so that the Rama Sethu could also be preserved, the project is still at a standstill.
  • Oceanography research suggests that the bridge is 7,000 years old. This tallies with the carbon dating of beaches near Mannar Island and Dhanushkodi.
  • As per one theory that proves truth about ram setu, the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar were part of the Kaveri River basin. Owing to tectonic shifts, the outline of the area including Rama Setu Bridge formed, and the shapes of these landforms resulted in coral growth.
  • According to the Marine and Water Resources Group of the Space Applications Centre (SAC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Ram Setu Bridge comprises 103 small patch reefs.

How deep is the Ram Setu Bridge?

The bridge is submerged in water. It is around 100 meters wide and up to 10 metres in depth.

See also: Mother Of Thousands

 

Ram Setu: Transport corridor

The Ram Setu Bridge offered a land connection between India and Sri Lanka during the time of lowered sea level for the last 100,000 years. Owing to shallow waters, the bridge provided hindrance to navigation through the Palk Strait. Trade activities across the India – Sri Lanka boundary have been taking placing since at least the first millennium BC, it was limited to small boats and dinghies.

In 1823, Sir Arthur Cotton surveyed the Pamban channel, that divides the Indian mainland from the island of Rameswaram and forms the first link of Ram Setu bridge. As per geological evidence, a land connection bridged this in years ago. According to some records of Ramanathaswamy Temple violent storms damaged the link in 1480.

Cotton suggested that the channel must be dredged to allow the passage of ships but no action was taken. However, in 1828, Major Sim directed the blasting and removal of some rocks. In 1837, a detailed marine survey of the Ram Setu Bridge was carried out and operations to dredge the route were recommended the following year. Despite these efforts, the passage could not be made navigable for vessels except those with a light draft.

 

What NASA says about Ram Setu?

According to NASA and images captured by satellite, there are a naturally occurring chain of sandbanks. It says that the photos taken by its astronauts do not prove the existence or otherwise of a man-made bridge, as specified in the Ramayana.

 

Where is the Ram Setu visible from? 

The Ram Setu bridge is visible from Dhanushkodi, a town in Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu. It is around 20 km from Rameshwaram. To reach this place, one must cross over to the Pamban Island, which is accessible by train through the Pamban Bridge.

See also: Pamban Bridge Rameshwaram: Fact guide, latest update

 

Ram Setu images

Check these real images of Ram Setu bridge.

Ram Setu

 

Ram Setu Bridge (Adam’s Bridge): Scientific facts, history and mythological significance

Source: Wikimedia

Aerial view of Ram Setu

Ram Setu Bridge (Adam’s Bridge): Scientific facts, history and mythological significance

NASA satellite image of Ramsetu bridge

Source: Wikimedia

 

Ram Setu Bridge: Mythological significance

Ram Setu was first mentioned in Valmiki’s Ramayana, a Hindu epic. The Ramsethu bridge is believed to have been built by Lord Rama’s Vanara Sena, with instructions from Nala, for Lord Ram to reach Lanka to rescue his wife Sita. According to legend, the bridge was built using floating stones, with name of Lord Rama engraved on it, which made it unsinkable. Apparently, Lord Rama prayed to the ocean, for a path from India to Lanka, so that he could go and rescue Sita from the clutches of Ravana, the king of Lanka.

As per Ramayana, 7th century BCE to 3rd century CE, the Ram Setu bridge was constructed by lord Ram, with the help of an army of Vanaras (monkeys), led by Lord Hanuman, to reach Lanka.

Also read all about Daulatabad Fort: An imposing structure with historical significance

Ram Setu, also known as Ramsethu, Adam’s Bridge, Nala Setu and Setu Banda, is the only archaeological and historical evidence of Ramayana. According to Hindu mythology, Ram Setu is a holy site. Therefore, no bridge should be built over it.

 

Adam’s Bridge (Ram Setu): Everything you need to know

In Hinduism, it is widely believed that Lanka mentioned in the Ramayana is the present-day Sri Lanka and the Ramsethu bridge was built by Lord Rama. However, as per Sanskrit sources of the first millennium, there is a distinction between the two and this belief was widely promoted especially during the rule of Chola dynasty of south India who sought to invade the island before it was co-opted by the Aryacakravarti dynasty in Jaffna who claimed to be guardians of the bridge. As per several scholars, the original Lanka was in the eastern side of present-day Madhya Pradesh.

 

Is Lanka the present day Sri Lanka?

As per popular belief, Lanka is equated to the present-day Sri Lanka. However, there are a few verses in Ramayana may be held to be against such an identification and some Sanskrit sources highlight the distinction. Further, two reputed medieval commentaries on the Ramayana Ramanujiya by Ramanuja and Tattvadipika by Mahesvaratirtha make a distinction between Lanka and Sri Lanka.

 

Ram Setu Bridge: Strategic significance

During 19th century, the British planned to dredge the Ram Setu channel length to allow neavigation of big ships along the Indian coast or enable travel between the east and west coasts. The plans did not succeed. However, the project has been revived as the Sethusamudram project.

 

Ram Setu Bridge: Mysterious facts about the structure

The debate between whether Rama Setu is a man-made bridge has been going on for several decades. However, the bridge has several other surprising facts about it and they are the following:

  • Ram Setu is also known as Adam’s bridge or Nala Setu. The former name derives its origin from an Islamic text that mentions the presence of Adam’s peak in Sri Lanka. It is also called Nala Setu because Nala was the architect who designed the bridge in Ramayana.
  • The beaches’ carbon dating and oceanographic studies reveal a time frame that coincides with the time frame of Ramayana.

There have been several opinions about the history and truth behind the Ram Setu bridge. According to one theory, there was an actual land connection between India and Sri Lanka during the Ice Age. As per another theory, Sri Lanka was considered a part of the mainland Indian subcontinent. It was believed to have broken away around 1,25,000 years ago.

 

Is Ram Setu really man-made?

There are a lot of studies to know if Rama Setu is real and researches that are trying to understand the true nature of this structure. Recently, Raj Bhagat Palanichamy, who works as a GIS and remote sensing analyst at World Resources Institute, tweeted satellite animations explaining the formations between India and Sri Lanka.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why is Ram Setu known as Adam’s Bridge?

The bridge first appeared in Ibn Khordadbeh’s Book of Roads and Kingdoms (c. 850), in which it is referred to as ‘Set Bandhai’ or ‘Bridge of the Sea’. Other sources describe this bridge in the context of Adam, crossing over to India from Sri Lanka via the bridge, after his expulsion from the Garden of Eden, leading to the name of Adam’s Bridge. A mountain in Sri Lanka was referred to as the Adam’s Peak where Adam was believed to fell to earth. This was described by Al Beruni, an Iranian scholar who lived around 1030 CE.

Apart from this, a British cartographer, in 1804, prepared the earliest map that calls this area by the name Adam’s Bridge.

This was in reference to one Abrahamic myth according to which Adam used the bridge to reach a mountain that was identified by the British as Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka. Here, Adam stood repentant on one foot for nearly 1,000 years that this left a hollow mark that looked like a footprint.

Further, ancient text Tārīkh al-Hind written by Al-Biruni was known to be the first to use the name, Adam’s Bridge.

 

Ram Setu expedition

The Ram Setu expedition was carried out in March 2021 by scientists and archaeologists, to explore the limestone shoal chain connecting Rameswaram and Sri Lanka. The expedition aims to understand the characteristics of the limestone rocks, its geological transformation and various other features of this eight-km bridge.

Several proposals were sent to the Indian Council of Historical Research over the past few years. However, this is the first time that the proposal has been accepted and the expedition has received adequate funding from the board. The purpose of the project is to check whether the bridge is man-made and solve the long lasting mythological debate.

 

ASI gives green signal on further research on Ram Setu

In 2007, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) said that the Ram Setu was just a natural formation. The Indian government, throught the support of the ASI, filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that there was no historical proof of the structure being constructed by Lord Rama.

In 2017 the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) planned to undertake a pilot study into the origins of the bridge. The plan was shelved later.

In 2021, Central Advisory Board on Archaeology, a government body coming under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), has approved a proposal for an exploration project to find out how and when Ram Setu was formed. The underwater research has begun this year.

The research is being conducted by Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), is focusing on the entire process behind the formation of Adam’s Bridge. The study will also look at some of the other facts like any submerged habitations that may be there around Ram Setu.

The research ship vessels of NIO ‘Sindhu Sadhana’ or ‘Sindhu Sankalp’ is being used in the study to gather samples of the sediment lying at a depth of 35-40 metres below the sea level. This research is being based on archaeological antiquities and hermoluminescence dating for geological time scale. The Radiometric Technique is being used to determine age of the structure which has been reported to consist of coral or pumice stones. The corals contain minerals like calcium carbonate that would help determine the age of these structures.

 

Sethusamudram project and the Supreme Court

The Indian government approved the Sethusamudram project, a multi-million dollar Shipping Canal Project in 2001 to develop a ship channel across the Palk Strait by dredging the ocean floor near Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu, India. The proposed channel aimed to reduce over 400 km off the voyage around Sri Lanka. The current alignment of the channel required dredging through the Ram Setu Bridge.

A petition was filed before the Supreme Court seeking to protect Ram Setu. The court asked the government if it wanted to remove the Ram Setu for the Sethusamudram project. The court was told by the government that it will not touch the Ram Setu or the Adam’s Bridge.

In a separate petition, senior academic and Ex-Vice Chancellor (Alagappa University) Dr A. Ramasamy has said that the Ram Setu does not meet the statutory requirements of an ‘ancient monument’ tag and the Supreme Court has no power to declare Ram Setu a ‘national monument’.

Dr A. Ramasamy is the president of the Dravidian Historical Research Centre (DHRC). He quoted a 130-year-old German research that had concluded that “Adam’s Bridge is not man-made”. Professor of Jena University (Germany) Dr. Johnnes Walther had undertaken a research on Ram Setu or the Adam’s Bridge in 1891, said Ramasamy.

Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project (SSCP) had proposed to connect the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay by the creation of a shipping canal between India and Sri Lanka. Sethusamudram is the sea between India and Sri Lanka that has a depth of less than 10 meters. Because of this shallow region, India does not have a continuous navigation channel connecting its East and West Coast. The SSCP proposed to connect the two coasts of India directly, thereby reducing the distance between Cape Comorin and Chennai and also prevent ships from circumventing Sri Lanka. Thus, the time taken to reach one coast from the other would also be reduced through the Sethusundaram Shipping Canal Project.

In 2007, the Sri Lankan Tourism Development Authority sought to promote religious tourism from Indian pilgrims by incorporating the Ramayana Trail. However, some Sri Lankan historians criticized the undertaking.

 

Ram Setu Bollywood movie

Ram Setu is a Bollywood action-adventure movie, directed by Abhishek Sharma. The film has been co-produced by Akshay Kumar’s mother Aruna Bhatia and Vikram Malhotra under the production companies Cape of Good Films, Abundantia Entertainment, Lyca Productions and Amazon Prime Videos. The movie had a theatrical release around Diwali on 25 October 2022. The Ram Setu story revolves around an archeologist who investigates the nature of Raam Setu, also known as Adam’s Bridge in English, and is set to prove its existence.

The Ram Setu movie features Akshay Kumar in a lead role along with Jacqueline Fernandez. The cast also includes Nushrat Bharuccha. The muhurat shot of the film and a puja ceremony by the team was held on March 18, 2021 at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya.

See also: Akshay Kumar house: A peek into his Mumbai residence

Is Ram Setu movie real story?

Ram Setu movie is a fictional story based on popular religious and mythological theories connected with the bridge connecting India and Sri Lanka.

According to the story, the archaeologist, an atheist turned believer, tries to prove the true existence of the Rama Setu before evil forces destroy it.

 

Save Ram Setu campaign

The Save Ram Setu campaign was launched on 27th March, 2007, a day popularly celebrated as Ram Navami to save the Ram Setu. This campaign was jointly organised by several international organisations who supported the cause. These organisations stated that the Setusamudram Canal project could have serious environmental impacts. Though the project was assessed earlier, most of the protestors believed that such an assessment was carried out prior to the tsunami and could currently create more disastrous effects on the environment and marine life. the construction of the canal project could also affect the livelihood of the fishermen living in this area and disrupt the popular industry of conch shells. Furthermore, the groups also supported the sacredness of the bridge and said a mythological structure with a rich heritage and immense sentimental value to the Hindus cannot be destructed.

The Save Ram Setu campaign had the following claims:

  1. The campaign demanded the complete withdrawal of SSCP from dredging activities and removing all the tools and equipment from the site.
  2. An independent commission should be established by the Government of India to oversee another round of consultations. The stakeholders not considered in the previous round of consultations should be included and all the risks, environmental and livelihood risks should be stated which were avoided in the first round of consultations.
  3. The SSCP should be accountable and take the responsibility of hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindus. 

 

Ram Setu meaning

Ram Setu is a Hindi or Sanskrit word that refers to Rama’s Bridge. It is a chain of natural limestone shoals, between Pamban Island or Rameswaram Island, near the southeast coast in Tamil Nadu.

 

Why do Ram Setu stones float?

Many scientists have studied and tried to solve the mystery behind the floating stones. As per the studies prove that there is science behind the floating stones. The Ram Setu is made of floating stone volcanoes.

According to science, the stones have air trapped inside silica. They appear to be stones but are light and can load. This phenomenon is similar to the way ice floats on water or how pumice stones float.

Pumice is the hardened foam of a volcano’s lava. When the lava emerges out of the volcano and interacts with the cool air outside, sometimes it freezes with air trapped in the stone. Air can take 90% of the volume.

However, as per religious beliefs, the stones of Rama setu do not sink in water because of the blessings of Lord Varuna and the name of Lord Rama written on them.

 

Why is Ram Setu underwater?

The Ram Sethu bridge was not entirely underwater. According to studies, including an article in Frontline in 2007, various natural coastal processes involving sea level positions in the past, wind-borne activity, tectonic movements and wave action have resulted in the evolution of the coastal region around the town of Mandapam.

The Adam’s bridge was above sea level until 1480 after which the bridge got submerged in the shallow sea water due to the impact of these natural processes.

 

Is Ram Setu Rock real?

Rama Setu comprises a chain of natural limestone shoals between Pamban Island in India and Mannar Island of Sri Lanka. The shoals are sedimentary rocks created from the accumulation of calcium carbonate.

In 2020, an expert from the World Resources Institute, Raj Bhagat Palanichamy, shared a series of posts stating the natural formation of the Ram Setu bridge.

 

 

In his post, Palanichamy said that the sediment accretion and erosion is not limited to the stretch between Rameshwaram and Mannar, deposition has been taking place near the group of islands between Thoothukudi and Mandapam. There is also a spit formation in Kodikarai, forming Muthupet salt marshes. He said that in the past sediment accretion led to new beach formations and depression formations which are now dominated by salt pans across the east coast.

 

Can we see Ram Setu now?

The Ram Setu bridge was visible until 1964. However, Rama Setu is now underwater. Nasa Satellite images show stones sitting on a sandbar in areas with shallow water.

 

Who built Ram Setu?

According to the ancient epic Ramayana, a bridge known as the Ram Setu was constructed by Lord Rama to reach the island Lanka and rescue his wife Sita from Ravana. The Ram Setu bridge was believed to be built by Rama’s money army or Vanara Sena. Vanara (monkey) Nala is credited as the engineer of the Ram Setu.

 

Ram Setu Bridge: Latest news

ISRO to ink new deal to identify Ram Setu, other archaeological sites

July 21, 2023: According to an India Today report, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Council of Historical Research for identifying archaeological sites, especially the Ram Setu.

Engineering students in Madhya Pradesh to be taught about Ram Setu

Madhya Pradesh has taken a decision to revise the curriculum for undergraduate students in the state and students of engineering to include studies on Ram Setu.

 

Palk Strait Bridge and Tunnel

The Palk Strait is a strait located between the Tamil Nadu and the Jaffna District in Sri Lanka, connecting the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with Palk Bay in the southwest. The strait was named after Robert Palk, the governor of Madras during the British Rule.

The Palk Strait Bridge and Tunnel is a proposed 23-kilometre road and rail bridge and tunnel over the Palk Strait between Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu and Talaimannar on Mannar Island near Sri Lanka.

Palk Bay, at its southern end, comprises a chain of low islands and reef shoals. These are referred to as the Ram Setu.

 

FAQs

Can we visit Ram Setu?

Visitors can reach Ram Setu Bridge by local vans from Dhanushkodi and witness the floating stones that were used in the bridge.

Can we walk on Ram Setu bridge?

Yes, the water is very shallow and one can walk on the structure for some distance.

How Long is Ram Setu?

The length of Ram Setu is about 48 kms.

How old is Ram Setu?

According to a study conducted by madras University and Anna University, the Ram Setu was formed as many as 18,400 years ago. The study was funded by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service (INCOIS) and University Grants Commission. The study was done to find out the past of Gulf of Mannar area, that was not impacted by disasters like the 2004 tsunami.

What are the other names for Ram Setu?

Nala Setu, Setu Band and Adam’s Bridge are the other names for Ram Setu.

Is Ram Setu 7000 years old?

According to geologists and archaeologists, the rocks of the Rama Setu bridge are over 7000 years old, while the sandbar is about 4,000 years old.

Which ocean is Ram Setu situated in?

The Dhanushkodi beach, which lies at the tip of Rameswaram island, is located at the point where Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal.

Which brothers built Ram Setu?

According to Ramacharitamanasa, an epic poem composed by Indian poet Tulsidas, Nala and his brother Nila built the Ram Setu bridge to enable the forces of Rama to pass over to Lanka.

Can ships cross Ram Setu?

The sea along the Ram Setu bridge varies between 3 to 30 ft in depth. Thus, it is impossible for ships to navigate along this stretch. Ships heading towards India’s eastern coast need to circle around the entire island of Sri Lanka to reach the ports of Chennai, Tuticorin, Vizag, Paradip, etc.

Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you. Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at [email protected]
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