Don't Touch Rama's Bridge

[Guest guest]

Pranam. I received this mail as a forward from my aunt in Singapore. The funny

thing is I just visited Rameshwaram on the 30th of March. Because of heightened

tensions( the Sri Lankan Navy had shot dead Tamilnadu fishermen), we decided not

to visit the Sethu. I personally believe that the Bridge should not be

demolished due to its antiquity, significance and environmental reasons. It

would be interesting to know of the views of others.

 

With Love

 

Shankaree

 

 

 

Don't Touch Rama's Bridge

A Loud Call – “Don’t Touch Rama’s Bridge”

Ashwin Kumar Iyer

 

 

First Hand Layman Witness

 

I have visited Rama's bridge near Rameshwaram. I went there last year. Though

the place assumes a lot of importance historically and religiously, there is no

sign board or organised tourism to this place. We had to go asking local

residents on the way.

 

Once we reach the nearby area (there is a newly built small hanuman temple) we

have to take a motor boat to venture close to a kilo meter into the sea to reach

Rama Sethu. Reaching there was not exactly a great experience, since there was

no organised facility. I was told that a good view of the Sethu can be had

during low tide times and especially during the nights or early mornings, I had

chosen such a time to visit the place. Once I reached the actual Sethu Site, I

was astonished and was in loss of words. The bridge should be easily 40-50 feet

wide (the visible part) and made of huge stones. For a normal logical mind it

certainly does not seem to be a geographical phenomenon. It certainly looks like

a huge manmade structure. At least that is was the structure of the bridge

suggests.

 

Historical Facts

 

Let us get into a little bit of history and find out what the said structure

means factually.

 

This structure of close to 48 kilometers which is 3 to 30 feet deep through its

course and was well above the sea level till the 15th century. The oldest

recorded map that mentions of Rama’s Bridge is the Malabar Bowen Map of

Netherlands which is supposed to have been made in 1747, where the map mentions

no name to the bridge but has mention about a place Ramencoil. Further, the same

place is mentioned again in a 1788 Map of Hindoostan available in the Sarasvathi

Mahal Library, Thanjavur.

 

This bridge has also been mentioned by James Rennel in his earliest maps of

India 1788 as Rama’s Bridge. However, Rennel carefully and tactfully renamed the

bridge as Adam’s Bridge in his 1804 version of the map.

 

Lying dormant under the waters, the bridge again came into light after the

NASA’s satellite pictures released in the early 1990s created curiosity among

historians and excitement among Dharmics. Tales started going around on the date

of Rama’s Bridge starting from 1.75 million years to 3500 years. NASA though

accepted the authenticity of the pictures, however refused to comment on the

dating.

 

Few dating attempts have been made after that. While the Sri Lankan

Archeological Department dates the bridge to close to 2 million years old,

Centre For Remote Sensing, Bharathidasan University dated it close to 3500 years

old.

 

While existence of this geographical phenomenon is not disputed, no research has

been done to find out neither the man-made nature of the bridge nor the

religious connection.

 

Religious Questions

 

For devout Dharmics who assume and believe the said structure or the

geographical formation is a bridge built by Shri Rama, there are certainly a

couple of religious questions that arise often. I have attempted to answer them

supported by Valmiki’s Ramayana.

 

 

Why did Rama build a bridge instead of crossing over in a ship?

 

The number of soldeirs in Rama's army was huge. You might have to build too many

ships to cross over. Ramayana says " thousand crore monkeys crossed over " . We can

take this number to be a poetic exaggeration, but the fact remains that the

number was on a higher side. Moreover, the sea god himself says that the waters

are rough and he will not be able to go against nature (even if god wishes, he

shall not breach the law of nature, is the beauty of Sanatana Dharma).

 

In slokas 2-22-25 to 2-22-28, the King of Ocean says, “O, beloved

Rama! Earth, wind ether, water and light remain fixed in their own nature,

resorting to their eternal path. Therefore, I am fathomless and my nature is

that it is impossible of being swum across. It becomes unnatural if I am

shallow. I am telling you the following device to cross me. O, prince! Neither

from desire nor ambition nor fear nor from affection, I am able to solidify my

waters inhabited by alligators. O, Rama! I shall make it possible to see that

you are able to cross over. I will arrange a place for the monkeys to cross me

and bear with it. As far as the army crosses me, the crocodiles will not be

aggressive to them.”

 

How was it possible to build such a bridge across the Ocean?

 

It was a planned effort and did not happen easily. Nala, the son of Viswakarma,

the

celestial architect was a good architect as his father. I am giving below the

slokas and their translations on the building of the bridge. The posting of

slokas are too long, but then just read them, they are wonderful and worthwhile.

Valmiki describes construction of this bridge between Slokas 2-22-50 and 2-22-72

 

“I am a son born of Visvakarma’s own loins. I am equal to Viswakarma.

This god of Ocean has reminded me. The great ocean spoke the truth. Being

unasked, I have not told you my details earlier. I am capable of constructing a

bridge across the ocean. Hence, let the foremost of monkeys build the bridge now

itself. Then, being sent by Rama, hundreds and thousands of monkey heroes jumped

in joy on all sides towards the great forest. Those army-chiefs of monkeys, who

resembled mountains, broke the rocks and trees there and dragged them away

towards the sea. Those monkeys filled the ocean with all types of trees like

Sala and Asvakarna, Dhava and bamboo, Kutaja, Arjuna, palmyra,Tilaka, Tinisa,

Bilva, Saptaparna, Karnika, in blossom as also mango and Asoka. The excellent

monkeys, the forest animals lifted and brought, like Indra’s flag posts, some

trees with roots intact and some others without roots. From here and there the

monkeys brought Palmyra trees, pomegranate shrubs, coconut and Vibhitaka,

Karira, Bakula and neem trees. The huge bodied monkeys with mighty strength

uprooted elephant-sized rocks and mountains and transported them by mechanical

contrivances. The water, raised up due to sudden throwing of mountains in the

sea, soured upward towards the sky and from there again, gushed back. The rocks

befalling on all sides perturbed the ocean. Some others drew up strings a

hundred Yojanas long (in order to keep the rocks in a straight line.) Nala on

his part initiated a monumental bridge in the middle of the ocean. The bridge

was built at that time with the cooperation of other monkeys, of terrible

doings. Some monkeys were holding poles for measuring the bridge and some others

collected the material. Reeds and logs resembling clouds and mountains, brought

by hundreds of monkeys, lead by the command of Rama, fastened some parts of the

bridge. Monkeys constructed the bridge with trees having blossom at the end of

their boughs. Some monkeys looking like demons seized rocks resembling mountains

and peaks of mountains and appeared running hither and thither. Then, a

tumultuous sound occurred when the rocks were thrown into the sea and when

mountains were caused to fall there. On the first day, fourteen Yojanas of

bridge were constructed by the monkeys speedily, thrilled with delight as they

were, resembling elephants. In the same manner, on the second day twenty Yojanas

of bridge were constructed speedily by the monkeys of terrific bodies and of

mighty strength. Thus, on the third day twenty-one Yojanas of the bridge were

constructed in the ocean speedily by the monkeys with their colossal bodies. On

the forth day, a further of twenty-two Yojanas were constructed by the dashing

monkeys with a great speed. In that manner, on the fifth day, the monkeys

working quickly constructed twenty-three yojanas of the bridge up to the other

seashore. That Nala, the strong and illustrious son of Visvakarma and an

excellent monkey built the bridge across the sea as truly as his father would

have built it. That beautiful and lovely bridge constructed by Nala across the

ocean the abode of alligators, shone brightly like a milky way of stars in the

sky.”

 

Logical Questions to be Addressed

 

In the wake of Sethu Samudram Project, it is a known fact that the historically

and religiously important Rama’s Bridge would be demolished to make way for a

new shipping canal between India and Sri Lanka. A few political parties have

raised security concerns over this idea and a few other experts have raised

eyebrows on the economic benefits this project could offer. However, I have done

no research on that subject and would not speak about security concerns and

economic benefits. Besides security issues and economic viability the said

project is attached to an extremely sensitive issue of history and religion.

 

It is highly surprising how the said project was approved and cleared by various

departments (especially geology and archeological departments). It is

understandable that the said project has not gone to their purview because no

archeological activity or geological research is happening in the current site.

However, in the wake of said allegations by various political parties,

non-governmental organizations and religious institutions, these departments

could have made a suo moto response to the Union Ministry of Shipping &

Transport to halt the project till a research is commenced and concluded in the

said site. The ministry in a self-confession in the parliament has come out with

a statement saying that ‘no archeological work has been done in the said Rama’s

Bridge site’. In that case, it is highly inappropriate to demolish a structure

which has a historical and religious importance without a proper justified

research backing the decision.

 

Relevant to this case, there are a few questions that are still unaddressed,

say,

 

1) First and foremost question is that whether the said bridge is man-made or a

geological phenomenon.

 

2) If it were a geological phenomenon it would assume a great importance for

geologists and scientists, making it very important for us to preserve it. It

would probably become the oldest natural rock formation in India and the biggest

and oldest natural rock formation of the world and the only one under the sea.

 

3) If it were man-made but not built by Rama, still it is of extreme importance

as an archeological site. Probably it would classify as one of the man-made

wonders of the world and the oldest ever man-made bridge to exist.

 

4) If archeologists and theologists can prove it to be anywhere closer related

to Shri Rama, the importance would be the greatest, since it has a religious

connotation and probably the biggest find relating the religion (especially

Dharmic) and also of archeological importance attached with religion.

 

Answers to these questions would certainly direct us to only one conclusion –

the Rama’s Bridge should not be touched for demolition. It might/might not be a

religious site, but it is certainly beyond even what we call as “precious”. It

is a natural phenomenon which has surprised scientists and geologists by its

sheer existence.

 

If Indian government tries demolishing Rama’s bridge for enabling a shipping

canal project, I might probably even think that the government might take Qutab

Minar off the place because it disrupts traffic. I do not think the UPA

government would want themselves to be equated with the Taliban who destroyed

Bamiyan Budhas while the whole world witnessed. In both cases of Taliban and UPA

government the action is the same, destroying of world heritage, while only the

motive is different.

 

The word of caution is loud and open – Don’t Touch Rama’s Bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let my every word be a prayer to Thee,

Every movement of my hands a ritual gesture to Thee,

Every step I take a circumambulation of Thy image,

Every morsel I eat a rite of sacrifice to Thee,

Every time I lay down a prostration at Thy feet;

Every act of personal pleasure and all else that I do,

Let it all be a form of worshiping Thee. "

 

From Verse 27 of Shri Aadi Shankara's Saundaryalahari