NASA’s space images have unveiled a captivating mystery in the Palk Strait, situated between India and Sri Lanka—an ancient bridge recently named Adam’s Bridge. Comprising a chain of shoals, spanning approximately 18 miles (30 km), this bridge exhibits a unique curvature and composition indicative of human craftsmanship. Archeological studies align with legends, suggesting human habitation in Sri Lanka dating back around 1,750,000 years, closely mirroring the age of Adam’s Bridge.
This discovery holds profound significance in unraveling the enigmatic tales of the Ramayana, an ancient Indian epic that purportedly unfolded in the Treta Yuga, over 1,700,000 years ago. The epic narrates the construction of a bridge connecting Rameshwaram in India to the Sri Lankan coast, overseen by the dynamic and invincible figure, Rama—an incarnation of the supreme. While archeologists may not find immediate interest in tracing the origins of humanity, the revelation of this ancient link to Indian mythology promises to open spiritual gateways for people worldwide.
Commenting on this revelation, Hugh Joseph expresses profound interest and underscores its monumental implications. The construction of Adam’s Bridge, as detailed in the Ramayana and the Srimad-Bhagavatam, challenges conventional scientific and historical paradigms. Dating back over 2 million years to the Treta age, the bridge raises questions about how ancient writers, devoid of space-ranging satellites, possessed knowledge of its existence. These ancient accounts, scribed over 5,000 years ago, delve into topics such as space travel, interplanetary voyages, UFOs, and what we commonly refer to as extraterrestrial beings.
Joseph emphasizes the profound insights offered by these ancient texts, portraying the history of Earth and the universe. He contends that man-made religions pale in comparison to the revelations found in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Ramayan, Bhagavad-gita, and similar scriptures. Beyond the historicity of Adam’s Bridge, these narratives delve into cosmic truths and offer a perspective on God that transcends conventional religious doctrines, presenting a breathtaking alternative to our understanding of spirituality and existence.
The “Srimad Bhagavatam” recounts the event in the following manner:
nara-devatvam apannah sura-karya-cikirsaya samudra-nigrahadini cakre viryany atah param
Translation:
In the eighteenth incarnation, the Supreme Lord manifested as King Rama, assuming a human form on Earth to fulfill a benevolent mission for the demigods. Displaying extraordinary abilities, He asserted His control over the Indian Ocean and vanquished the atheist King Ravana, situated on the distant shores.
The divine incarnation of Lord Rama served a specific purpose—to carry out tasks that pleased the demigods and maintained cosmic order. Throughout history, formidable demons and atheists like Ravana and Hiranyakasipu gained notoriety by challenging the established divine order, propelled by materialistic ambitions and a defiance of the Lord’s authority. This arrogance often arises from technological advancements, such as the audacious attempt to reach other planets through material means—a direct challenge to the intricacies crafted by the divine. Each planet’s unique conditions accommodate diverse classes of beings for specific purposes outlined by the Lord’s codes. Yet, when materialists achieve modest success, they may defy the existence of God.
Ravana epitomized such defiance, seeking to transport ordinary individuals to the heavenly abode without adhering to the requisite qualifications. His audacious plans included constructing a direct staircase to heaven, bypassing the need for the prescribed pious deeds. Ravana went further by challenging the authority of Lord Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even daring to abduct His consort, Sita. In response to the demigods’ prayers, Lord Rama incarnated to chastise this atheist, initiating a series of events chronicled in the epic “Ramayana.”
Lord Rama’s divine nature transcended the capabilities of any human, including the materially advanced Ravana. The Supreme Lord crafted a celestial causeway atop the Indian Ocean, defying gravitational norms. Modern scientific research touches upon weightlessness, yet it cannot replicate it universally. However, the weightlessness observed in the floating stones of the bridge constructed by Lord Rama showcased the divine power to manipulate the laws of nature. The stone bridge stood as a testament to the extraordinary feats that the Supreme Lord could accomplish.
Sage Valmiki’s “Ramayana” provides a detailed account of these transcendental events, immortalizing the divine actions of Lord Rama.
Following Rama’s directive, the valiant monkeys, likened to lions, eagerly penetrated the dense forest from all sides. These leaders of simian tribes, displaying immense strength, uprooted rocks of considerable size, and trees resembling them, dragging them towards the sea. The ocean was soon covered with an array of Sala, Ashvararna, and other tree types. With or without roots, these colossal monkeys carried the trees like celestial standards of Indra, strategically placing them here and there. Employing mechanical devices, these powerful beings excavated stones and rocks of elephantine proportions, causing water to spout into the air and then descend abruptly. Subsequently, the monkeys, with chains in hand, rushed into the sea, churning the waters from all directions.
Nala, a skilled architect and leader among the monkeys, crafted an immense causeway within the bosom of the sea. The powerful simians, resembling giants, tirelessly constructed the bridge over the ocean, extending it over a hundred leagues. Some monkeys brought tree trunks, while others arranged them. In the span of five days, these industrious giants erected a structure of unprecedented proportions, with each day witnessing an increase in the expanse of the causeway. The gods, Gandharvas, Siddhas, and supreme Rishis gathered in the sky to witness this extraordinary feat. The gods and Gandharvas marveled at the causeway’s construction, a masterpiece spanning ten leagues in width and a hundred in length, meticulously built by Nala.
Upon completion, the monkeys, filled with valor, dived, swam, and shouted, creating an awe-inspiring spectacle. The causeway, a vast and magnificent construction, with a solidly cemented paved floor, resembled the parting of a woman’s hair. Meanwhile, Bibishana, armed with a mace, stood ready for any potential enemy attack. Sugriva advised Rama to mount the shoulders of Hanuman, while Laxmana took those of Angada. The monkeys, traversing the sky, sea, and bridge, accompanied Rama and Laxmana, generating a tumultuous sound that drowned the roar of the ocean.
Upon crossing the sea with Nala’s causeway, the simian troops camped on the shore abundant with roots, fruits, and water. Witnessing this extraordinary creation, the gods, Siddhas, Charanas, and great Rishis approached Rama, secretly anointing him with seawater. In auspicious words, they acclaimed Rama, acknowledging him as a god among men and expressing wishes for eternal rule over the earth and sea. The Brahmins added their homage, completing this momentous episode.
The monkeys enlisted in Rama’s army were not ordinary primates; they were powerful demigods sent to assist Lord Rama in subduing the atheistic demon, Ravana. Notably, these divine beings played a crucial role around two million years ago when the Dvarapara and Treta yugas were reversed in the cycle of the four ages, or yugas, lasting different durations. Ram Sethu, also known as Adam’s Bridge, a sacred site in Hinduism, is an ancient chain of shoals that connected India’s southern regions to Sri Lanka’s northwest. Unfortunately, this revered site is under threat due to the Sethu Samudram Shipping Canal Project (SCCP), aimed at creating a navigable waterway.
Scientific evidence supports the notion of ancient human activity around Ram Sethu. Geological and geophysical surveys conducted for the Sethu-samudram Project reveal that Rama’s bridge is a major geological feature. The formation north of Ram Sethu on the Palk Bay side has undergone down faulting, and the bridge emerged as an upthrown block. This continuous geomorphic feature, verified by bathymetry surveys and NASA land images, includes minor depressions and intertidal marine sandy islands, indicating neotectonic features affecting bathymetry.
The geological data further aligns with the established phenomenon of a major glaciation period (ice age) around 18,000 years BP when the sea level was significantly lower. Submerged corals around the world, including the east and west coasts of India, attest to this glacial period. The Ram Sethu ridge acts as a major marine divide, separating the Bay of Bengal’s turbulent waters from the Gulf of Mannar’s calm ones. This ridge, a tectonic feature formed much earlier, played a crucial role during the last ice age when the sea level was substantially lower.
The geological logging of boreholes drilled by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in the intertidal areas of Ram Sethu reveals compelling details. These boreholes show recent marine sands at the top and, interestingly, hard formations between 4.5 and 7.5 meters consisting of calcareous sandstones and corals. Corals, less dense and compact, appear to have been transported and placed on the ridge, possibly forming a connecting link to Sri Lanka. The rounded coral rock pieces and pebbles on loose marine sands suggest their deliberate placement.
Archaeological and geoarchaeological evidence along the southeast coast of India, near Rameswaram and Tuticorin, and the western coast of Sri Lanka supports the idea of flourishing human activity around Ram Sethu. Raised Teri formations with mesolithic-microlithic tools, indicating human habitation, date back as early as 8000 to 9000 years B.P. Additionally, indications of human habitation on the Sri Lankan side extend to the late Pleistocene, approximately 13,000 B.P. These findings collectively suggest a thriving human presence on both sides of Adams Bridge, possibly establishing a link between India and Sri Lanka when sea levels were conducive. The significance of this historical and geological marvel warrants its declaration as a protected monument under the Protection of Monuments Act and recognition as a World Heritage site by the Government of India and UNESCO.
