History and Facts About Ram Setu

The ancient holy epic Valmiki Ramayan, there is elaborate description about construction of Setu. Its a great world heritage site India has. The Ram Setu connects the India’s Rameshwaram to Sri Lanka’s Talaimannar. Hindu believe that this ancient bridge was built by Lord Rama, as described in Ramayana.

Apart from Ramayana, the Mahabharata also refers to the continued protection of Nala Setu following Sri Rama’s command. Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsham also refers to the Setu. So does the Skanda Purana(III.1.2.1-114), the Vishnu Purana (IV 4.40-49), the Agni Purana(V-XI), the Brahma Purana (138.1-40).

The core agency, The Geological Survey of India has in its logo, Asetu Himachal, means ….The India from Setu to Himalaya.

The Encyclopedia Britanica defines the bridge thus, “Adam’s Bridge also called Rama’s Bridge, chain of shoals, between the islands of Mannar, near northwestern Sri Lanka and Rameswaram, off the southeastern coast of India”.

Recently NASA satellite images indicates clear picture of a broken bridge under the ocean. The heritage of this Ram Setu and the Story of Lord Rama, both are extremely sacred to Hindus.

The geographically Sethusamudram, is a project to create alternative shorter way for ships to cross the Gulf of Mannar. The project was initiated some 150 years back by a British Commander A D Taylor. In 1955, Govt. of India set up the Sethusamudram Project Committee to assess possibility of the project and about five alternative routes were discussed till 2001. The NDA sanctioned a fund to study the project so as to take final decision on the route but the government lost power.

The official web site of project states that Ships coming from West of India and going to Chennai, Ennore, Vishakapatnama, Haldia and Kolkta have to travel around the Sri Lankan coast resulting in increase of travel distance and time. Therefore, to reduce distances between the east and west coast of India and to improve the navitation within territorial waters of India, a alternate route or channel connecting the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay has been envisaged so that the ships moving between the east and west coasts of India need not go around Sri Lanka. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 2,427 crores.

On the decision to destroy Ramsetu and create an alternative route by Government of India, the Hindus have raised their voice. The Governemnt has changed the metro rail route to protect the Qutub Minar, stops a corridor to protect the Taj Mahal’s surroundings. Even a child knows that a bridge was built by Lord Rama, using floating stones to reach to Lanka to rescue Sita anddestroy the evil regime of Ravana.

The movement started to save Ramsetu at the shores of Rameshwaram on April,2007. Two former judges of Supreme Court, Justice K T Thomas and Justice V R Krishna Iyer, none of them close to the saffron side, have warned the government against destroying the Ram Setu.

Local fishermen, Hindus, Muslims and Christians alike oppose the present route and are demanding alternative channels, which are available. They say the present channel would destroy marine life and corals. This will kill the trade in shankas(Shells) that has a turnover in excess of Rs 150 crore(Rs. 1.5 billion) per annum. Invaluable thorium deposits would be affected, which are too important for our nuclear fuel requirement.

Thus, the issues concern us all, and should be taken up as Indian without getting falling in party lines and political agendas. The Ram Setu or Adam Bridge belongs to all humanity, being an important heritage site; hence the government should not all it to become another issue affecting Hindu sensitivities. Nobody is opposing the Sethu Samudram Project, only a realignment of the route is being asked, as the present one destroys the Rame Setu.