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Rama's Bridge

(Redirected from Adam's Bridge)
NASA satellite photo of Rama's Bridge—oblique, Sri Lanka to the left
NASA satellite photo of Rama's Bridge—oblique, Sri Lanka to the left

Rama's Bridge or Adam's Bridge is a chain of limestone shoals, between the islands of Mannar, near northwestern Sri Lanka, and Rameswaram, off the southeastern coast of India. The bridge is 30 miles (48 km) long and separates the Gulf of Mannar (southwest) from the Palk Strait (northeast). Some of the sandbanks are dry, and nowhere are the shoals deeper than 4 feet (1 m); thus, they seriously hinder navigation.

The name Rama's Bridge has to do with the Hindu mythology. According to the Hindu epic Ramayana (Chapter 66, The Great Causeway http://www.hindubooks.org/books_by_rajaji/ramayana/the_great_causeway/page5.htm ), the bridge was constructed at Rama's request by his subjects. The alternate name Adam's Bridge derives from the Christian mythological notion that the biblical Garden of Eden was Sri Lanka.

Rama's Bridge is clearly visible in satellite photo s, such as the one taken by NASA shown here. This resulted in claims by some Hindu groups that the bridge is a scientific evidence that events narrated in the Ramayana epic actually took place, and are not just myths. NASA spokesman Mark Hess hurriedly released a cautious statement, distancing the Agency from such multitude of claims being based on the images:

"The images [...] may be ours, but their interpretation is certainly not ours. [...] Remote sensing images or photographs from orbit cannot provide direct information about the origin or age of a chain of islands, and certainly cannot determine whether humans were involved in producing any of the patterns seen."

There does remain the fact that the bridge's shape is very unusual indeed for a natural geological feature. Archeological studies of the bridge are ongoing, and some archeologists claim to have found additional evidence suggesting that the bridge is indeed man-made. For instance, some researchers from Bharathidasan University , Tiruchirappalli, announced that the "bridge" is only 3,500 years old http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=17736 . However, their article linking the bridge to Ramayana has attracted rebuke from the mainstream scientific community http://www.gisdevelopment.net/magazine/gisdev/2004/feb/fmab.shtml .

External links

  • other pictures http://www.vahini.org/ramakatha2/ch7-bridge.html


Last updated: 02-08-2005 00:48:48
Last updated: 05-02-2005 19:58:02