Indian archaeologists are about to conduct a detailed study of ‘Rama’s Bridge’, a mysterious isthmus between Sri Lanka and India, which has its own features and names in different religious lore. Muslims call it “Adam’s Bridge” and Hindus call it “Rama’s Bridge”. The origin of this structure remains an open question and researchers hope to find answers to it.
According to the ancient epic “Ramayana”, the ruler Rama ordered the bridge to be built in order to travel to Sri Lanka and fight the demon Ravana, who had kidnapped Sita, the king’s beloved. Hindus consider this site sacred and important to their religion. However, there is only the religious aspect of the story and there is no archaeological evidence that Rama’s Bridge is a man-made structure, according to Deyanath Tripathi, former head of the Indian Council of Historical Research.
However, underwater archaeologist Alok Tripathi believes that ‘Rama’s Bridge’ could still be a man-made site. He suggests that the isthmus was built by an ancient civilization that was forced to flee from the Indian peninsula to Sri Lanka about four thousand years ago due to the onslaught of Aryan tribes. However, field studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis, which have not yet been conducted.
In order to unravel the mystery of the origin of Rama’s Bridge, the Indian Council of Historical Research will send an underwater expedition of archaeologists led by Alok Tripathi this summer. However, work to explore the isthmus has already been postponed several times. In 2005, the project was canceled due to mass protests by worshippers, and in 2013 due to the threat of a tsunami.
Today, Indian authorities plan to deepen the “Rama Bridge” to facilitate navigation. However, Hindus, who make up the majority of the country’s population, oppose the idea. They consider the isthmus sacred and do not want it to be altered or destroyed.
The study of Rama’s Bridge is not only important to religious groups, but also to the scientific community. A discovery about the origin of this structure could expand our knowledge of ancient civilizations and their connection to India and Sri Lanka.
