RAMA SETHU OR ADAM'S BRIDGE

RAMA SETHU OR ADAM'S BRIDGE

According to the Ramayana, after Lord Rama was forced to go into exile along with his consort Sita and brother Lakshmana, Ravana abducted Sita and took her to Lanka, his capital.  After that, having received Hanuman's report on Sita, Lord Rama and Lakshmana proceeded with their Vanara Army towards the shore of the southern sea.  There they are joined by Ravana's renegade brother, Vibhishana.  After getting boon from the Sea God, the monkeys named "Nal" and "Neel" constructed a floating bridge (known as Rama Setu) across the ocean by putting stones with the name of Lord Rama written on it into the ocean, which helped Lord Rama and Lakshmana along with their army to cross over the bridge and reach Lanka.  A lengthy battle ensued and Lord Rama killed Ravana and rescued Sita.  Lord Rama then installed Vibhishana on the throne of Lanka and returned back to Ayodhya, his capital, with his consort Sita and Lakshmana.

The original epic of Ramayana was written by Valmiki, in Sanskrit, which is known as Valmiki Ramayana, dating to approximately the 5th to 4th century B.C., i.e., approximately 2500 years ago.

Historian Nandita Krishnan explains: “The Ramayana is geographically very correct. Every site on Lord Rama's route is still identifiable and has continuing traditions or temples to commemorate Lord Rama's visit.  Around 1000-500 BC or earlier, no writer had the means to travel around the country inventing a story, fitting it into local folklore and building temples for greater credibility.  She describes that "Lord Rama moved to Panchavati near Bhadrachalam (AP), where Ravana abducted Sita.  The dying Jatayu told them of the abduction, so they left in search of Sita.  Kishkinda, near Hampi, where Rama first met Sugriva and Hanuman, is a major Ramayana site, where every rock and river is associated with Rama.  Anjanadri, near Hospet, was the birthplace of Hanuman (Anjaneya); Sugriva lived in Rishyamukha on the banks of the Pampa (Tungabhadra); Sabari probably also lived in a hermitage there. Rama and the Vanara army left Kishkinda to reach Rameshwaram, where the Vanaras built a bridge to Lanka from Dhanushkodi on Rameshwaram Island to Talaimannar in Sri Lanka.  While parts of the bridge - known as Adam's Bridge - are still visible, NASA's satellite has photographed an underwater man-made bridge of shoals in the Palk Straits, connecting Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar. On his return from Sri Lanka, Rama worshiped Shiva at Rameshwaram, where Sita prepared a Shiva Linga out of sand.  It is still one of the most sacred sites of Hinduism."

“Sri Lanka also has relics of the Ramayana.  There are several caves, such as Ravana Ella Falls, where Ravana is believed to have hidden Sita to prevent Rama from finding her. The Sitai Amman Temple at Numara Eliya is situated near the Ashokavana where Ravana once kept her prisoner."

According to the Ramayana, Ravana brought Sita to Sri Lanka by a vehicle called 'Pushpaka Vimanam' by the Hindus.  According to mythology, this vehicle landed at Werangatota, about 10 km from Mahiyangana, east of the hill station of Nuwara Eliya, in central Sri Lanka. Sita was then taken to Goorulupota, now known as Sitakotuwa, where Ravana's wife, Mandodari, lived.  Sita was housed in a cave at Sita Eliya, on the Colombo-Nuwara Eliya road.  There is a temple for her there.

North of Nuwara Eliya, in Matale district, is Yudhaganapitiya, where the Rama-Ravana battle took place. According to a Sinhalese legend, Dunuwila is the place from where Rama shot the 'Bramshira' arrow that killed Ravana who was chalking out his battle plans in Lakgala.  Lakgala is a rock from the top of which Ravana could see north Sri Lanka clearly.  It served as a watchtower following the expectation that Lord Rama would invade the island to rescue his consort.

Nandita Krishnan continues to explain the importance of these holy sites, “All the places visited by Lord Rama still retain memories of his visit, as if it happened yesterday.  Time, in India, is relative. Some places have commemorative temples; others commemorate the visit in local folklore. but all agree that Lord Rama was going from or to Ayodhya.  Why doubt connections when literature, archaeology, and local tradition meet?  Why doubt the connection between Adam's Bridge and Lord Rama, when nobody else in Indian history has claimed its construction?  Why doubt that Lord Rama traveled through Dandakaranya or Kishkinda, where local non-Vedic tribes still narrate tales of Lord Rama?  Why doubt that he was born in and ruled over Ayodhya?

The bridge is 18 miles (30 km) long and separates the Gulf of Mannar (southwest) from the Palk Strait (northeast).  Some of the sandbanks are dry and the sea in the area is very shallow, being only 3 ft to 30 ft (1 m to 10 m) deep in places, which hinders navigation.  It was reportedly passable on foot up to the 15th century until storms deepened the channel: temple records seem to say that Lord Rama’s Bridge was completely above sea level until it broke in a cyclone in 1480 CE.

How come 3000 years ago a person (Valmiki) come to know that there is a place called Sri Lanka, and how does he give so perfect geographical account of a bridge that connects the two countries?  How come he was so accurate about the geographical locations to exactly where the battle was fought, how the battle was fought, how Lord Rama crossed the ocean, and the places where Lord Rama visited, while writing Ramayana somewhere in northern India?

REFERENCES:

http://www.stephen-knapp.com/lord_rama_fact_or_fiction.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valmiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram_Setu