Ramasetu1dec2007

Protect Rama Setu:
for sustainable development
Valmiki ramayana, Sarga 21, Yuddhakandam
Describes Rama’s victory over the ocean; he releases
the arrow which makes a volcano erupt, resulting in a
tsunami.
This episode is validated by the heatflow and
geotectonic maps of Bharatam in the Rama Setu region.

S. Kalyanaraman, Ph.D.,
Sarasvati Research Centre,
Former Sr. Exec.,
Asian Development Bank,
kalyan97@gmail.com

11/19/2007
1

Thorium/titanium placer deposits due
to churning action of ocean currents,
with Rama Setu acting like a sieve or
cyclotron

Thorium deposits in Kerala (Aluva, Chavara),
Tamilnadu (Manavalakurichi) that support nuclear
power source for India will be desiccated if Rama Setu
is damaged. If another tsunami strikes, the placer
2 deposits will be submerged in the ocean.

1
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

Heavy mineral rich Inayam Teri Sand
Deposit, Kanyakumari district, Tamil
Nadu
•

11/19/2007
3

Importance of Thorium for Bharat

The currently known Indian thorium reserves
(3.6 lakh tonnes) amount to 358,000 GWe-yr
of electrical energy (Thorium reserves can
generate 400,000 MW electricity per year for
the next 389 years).

• India’s vast thorium deposits permit design and
operation of U-233 fuelled breeder reactors.
(Th-232 + neutron yields Uranium 233)

• These thorium-based breeder reactors are
under development and would serve as the
mainstay of the final thorium utilization stage
of the Indian nuclear programme. 11/19/2007
4
http://www.barc.ernet.in/webpages/about/anu1.htm

2

Heavy mineral beach
placers
(ilmenite, rutile, garnet
and monazite)

Kolachel to
Kanniyakumari on 75
km.

Vattakottai and Lipuram
to Manavalakurichi: 5 to
6 km. With a width of 3
to 5 m from the mouth
of Valliyur River. (Data
base, GSI)
11/19/2007
5

Richest monazite concentration in the
world (32% of world thorium reserves)

The beach placers in Manavalakurichi,
Aluva, Chavara, on an average
contain 45 to 55% ilmenite, 7 to 14%
garnet, 4 to 5% zircon, 3 to 4%
monazite, 2 to 3% sillimanite, 2 to 3%
rutile, 0.5 to 1% leucoxene and 10 to
25% others, including silica.
(Database 1984, GSI)
11/19/2007
6

3

11/19/2007
7

1.US Navy operational directive, 23 June
2005
2. Chairman TCPT replies to PMO 30
June 2005
3. Inauguration of SSCP 2 July 2005.
• Agreement between Sri Lanka (Sirimavo Bandaranaike) and
India (Indira Gandhi) June 1974: declaration Gulf of Mannar
as Historic waters; United Nations Conference on the Law of
the Sea (1958), Convention of the Territorial Sea and
Contiguous Zone recognizes HISTORIC Waters
•
This claim is not recognized by the United States.
• U.S. conducted operational assertions in 1993 and 1994,
1999 in Gulf (or tadi eduttavan tandal kaaran) treating these
as international waters.

• Geopolitics:
USA naval bases : Diego garcia, Trincomalee, Straits of Malacca
China naval bases: Gwadar, Haumtota, Sitwe
11/19/2007
8

4

Tirutturaipoondibe
ach (6000 years)

Kodiyakkarai

Manamelgudi

shoreline
(6000 years)

Thondi

Pamban
Devipattinam

Ramanathapuram
Talaimannar

Uchchipuli

11/19/2007
9

A volcanic canyon west of Rama Setu, 1 m to 3000 m slope

Location map.
Inset:
bathymetry map
of the Gulf of
Mannar
(reproduced
from Murty et
al., 1994)
http://www.Setusamudram.in/htm
docs/Articles/cp_rajendran_2.htm

11/19/2007
10

5

Canyon below the ocean?
Question of stability of
any channel on this slope.

• Abstract Two suites of slumps from opposite
margins of the Gulf of Mannar, between Sri
Lanka and southern India, have met and
coalesced. The “Eastern Comorin” Slump is the
more coherent of the two with a length of 70 to
100 km. The “Colombo” side slump consists of
two to four blocks 15 to 35 km in length. Both
slump-suites decrease to the south. A
paleoslump underlies the western toe of the
East Comorin Slump at a depth of some 800
meters. To the south, an enlarging and
deepening submarine canyon marks the area of
slump coalescence. See William Vestal and Allen Lowrie, Geology and Geophysics Branch-Code
7220, U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office NSTL Station, 39522, MS

• http://www.springerlink.com /content/m602j3k746342lnl/ 11/19/2007
11

Rama’s
hotspot
Heatflow in
Rama Setu
100 to 180
milliwatt per sq.
m. comparable to
Himalayan
hotsprings

Will dredging in
the area activate
these heat zones?. 11/19/2007
12

6

11/19/2007
13

Tectonic setting:
Nature
magazine,
6 Sept. 2007
Plate
subduction
Sunda plate
Direction of
inferred fault-
line sucking in
tsunami 11/19/2007
14

7

Mannar Volcanics 100 m. old: Rama Setu
an ancient submarine canyon collapse

11/19/2007
15

• Destruction of
Bore-hole locations on Rama Setu
fragile coral
islands by
sediments
• Likely reactivation
of sub-sea
heatflows
• Alternatives:
• Pamban; like
Panama Canal,
locks could be
provided both in
the Palk bay side
and Gulf of
Mannar side so
that such
calamities could be
prevented.
• Provide for
tsunami-protection
walls
11/19/2007
16

8

Geological, archaeological evidence:
Dept. of Earth Sciences (March 2007)
• Around Rameswaram, there are raised Teri
formations that supported a rich assemblage of
mesolithic – microlithic tools indicating the
presence of strong human habitation and
activity in these areas as early as 8000 to 9000
years B.P and as recent as 4000 years B.P. On
Sri Lanka side there are indications of human
habitation extending to late Pleistocene (about
13,000 B.P) based on bone and fossils of
human and animal form.
• All these point to a flourishing human activity
on both sides of Adams Bridge and probably
when the sea levels were just right the link
between India and Sri Lanka could have been
established. 11/19/2007
17

Evidence from
ISRO and NASA
websites
A news report date-lined Rameswaram, 15 April 2007 in the New
Indian Express (page 7) noted:quot;... Baalu said the government
and the Sethusamudram project officials had written to NASA
on the Adam's Bridge, but there has been no reply from NASA.quot;
ISRO image gives the answer ! Why ask NASA?

Item 1: February 2000 Report of NASA
http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/srtm/srilanka.htm Shuttle Radar
Topography Mission (SRTM) of NASA aboard space shuttle
Endeavour launched in February 2000. quot;Sri Lanka is shaped
like a giant teardrop falling from the southern tip of the vast
Indian subcontinent. It is separated from India by the 50km
(31mi) wide Palk Strait, although there is a series of stepping-
stone coral islets known as Adam's Bridge that almost form a
land bridge between the two countries.quot;
Item 2: April 1966 Report of NASA http://history.nasa.gov/SP-
168/section3b.htm Exploring space with a camera by NASA
quot;[193] Gemini XI. This photograph from an altitude of 410
miles encompasses all of India, an area of 1250 000 square
miles,quot; GEORGE M. LOW, then the Deputy Director, Manned
Spacecraft Center, NASA, notes. quot;Bombay is on the west coast,
directly left of the spacecraft's can-shaped antenna New Delhi
is just below the horizon near the upper left. Adam's Bridge
between India and Ceylon , at the right, is clearly visible. A
cloudless region surrounds the entire subcontinent. Differences
in color, green near the west coast, and brown inland, delineate
regions of heavy vegetation and semiarid areas.quot; The picture
by NASA is available on the NASA website.
http://history.nasa.gov/SP-168/p193a.jpg 11/19/2007
18

9

Tsunami effect: 2,60,000 lives lost
Destruction of Aceh island, damage in beaches north of Chennai and
Nagapattinam

Sea-bed has risen by about 200 m. in some regions

2/3 of the aquatic life and corals devastated in the Biosphere Reserve/Marine
National Parks

11/19/2007
19

Seismic activity

Indian plate dynamically moves northwards @6
cm. per year resulting in plate tectonics (e.g
Bhuj earthquake, Aceh quake).

The Indian Ocean in this region is riddled with
earthquake fault-lines

11/19/2007
20

10

Tsuanmi of Dec. 26, 2004
Result of plate tectonics in Sunda plate

11/19/2007
21

Build tsunami protection walls as
part of any canal project: example,
tsunami wall in Japan

11/19/2007
22

11

Prof. Tad S. Murthy’s views
• Prof. Tad S Murthy is a tsunami expert who advised Govt. of India on
tsunami warning system and edited Tsunami journal for over 20 years

• Prof. Tad S Murthy’s objections were cited in PMO’s letter of Jan. 2005

• He said: Change the mouth of the alignment (Bay of
Bengal) norwestwards to avoid destruction of Kerala by
next tsunami

• quot;The Sethusamudram canal has many characteristics similar to the Alberni
canal, and this is the reason I am concerned. In the March 28, 1964, Alaska
earthquake tsunami, outside of Alaska the largest tsunami amplitude was at
the head of the Alberni canal well inland and not at the open coast as
everyone expected. Later, I explained this was due to (a phenomenon
known as) quarter wave resonance
• http://www.elaw.in/issue/sethu.htm

11/19/2007
23

Rama Setu: ancient monument of international
importance, whether man-made or natural; even a
stone or a cave or a river is a monument under the
1958 Act.

From Setu to Himachalam defines the sovereign
Bharatam according to the Suvey of India logo
since 1767.

Suggestio falsi, suppressio veri: Ambika Soni

New Delhi, Mar 06, 2007: Government on Tuesday said there are
no archaeological studies that reveal the existence of a Ram Setu
bridge between India and Sri Lanka. However, a NASA satellite
picture has shown the existence of a stretch of land bridge in the
Palk Strait between the countries, Minister of Tourism and
Culture Ambika Soni said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha
today. She informed the house that as there are no
archaeological studies to confirm the fact, the government was
not planning to take any preservation initiative in this direction.
http://zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=358346&sid=NAT

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12

Govt. has no plans to declare Ram Setu as national
monument

• 15:38 IST Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Minister for Tourism and Culture Smt. Ambika Soni
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha said, no
archaeological study has been made in respect of
Ram Setu by the Archaeological Survey of India
• As per the scientific evidence available so far, Ram
Setu does not fulfill the criteria to be declared as a
monument of national importance under the
provisions of the Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
• http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=29871
11/19/2007
25

Malabar Bowen map (1747) drawn by
Netherlands shows Ramarcoil I (that is,
Rama temple).

11/19/2007
26

13

Map drawn by Joseph Parks, Australian
Botanical explorer (1788) shows Ramar
Bridge (Map in Sarasvati Mahal Lib.,
Thanjavur), the map Hon’ble TR Baalu saw !

Map of 1804, by
James Rennel,
First Surveyor
General of
India,
renamed
Ramar Bridge
as Adam’s
bridge
27

Kamba ramayanam in Tamil has a separate sarga called Setubandha
padalam. ‘Sethu’ is the waterbody in which SriRama purified
himself from ‘Brammahatti dosha’ on his return from Lanka after
killing Ravana. It is located in the sea in Rameshwaram area near
‘sethubandhanam’. Rameswaram is called: Setubandha
Rameswaram. South Asia in the time of the Khaljis and Tughluqs, c.
1290-1390

Tulasidas:
Ramacharitamanas

11/19/2007

14

Setu, Setubandha Rameswaram
Hampi inscription of Krishnadevaraya Saka 1430
(1508 CE) in Epigraphica Indica refers to Rama Setu

11/19/2007
29

Religious and cultural sites, 8th-12th
centuries
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=071 Schwartzberg Atlas, p. 34.

11/19/2007
30

15

Islamic expansion and changing Western views of South
(Al-Biruni’s record)
Asia, 7th-12th centuries
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=070 Schwartzberg Atlas, v. , p. 33.

11/19/2007
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Puranic India (Bharata)
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=064 Schwartzberg Atlas, v. , p. 27.

11/19/2007
32

16

Madras Presidency Administration Report, 1903 and a
Travelogue, 1744 refer to the bridge
(

Glossary entry: Adam. …”Called the bridge of Rama… It
really joined Ceylon to India until 1480, when a breach
was made through rocks during a storm. A subsequent
storm enlarged this and foot traffic then ceased…Partly
above and partly below water; but when covered has
now here above three or four feet of water…”
Source: Manual of the Administration of the Madras Presidency./C.D. Maclean (1903). New Delhi, AES, 3 Vols., 2440 p., Contents: Vol. 1: Chapters 1-9
Containing: The Principal Articles of the Manual Arranged so as to Conform to the Order of Subjects in the Yearly Presidency Administration Report. Vol. 2:
Appendices Containing: Articles and Statements, Supplementary of the Articles in Vol. 1 Arranged Under General Heads. Vol. 3: Glossary of the Madras Presidency: A
Classification of Terminology, a Gazetteer and Economic Dictionary of the Province and Other Information, the Whole Arranged Alphabetically and Indexed.

Travelogue

A book by Alexander Hamilton, 1744, A New Account of
the East Indies: Giving an Exact and Copious
Description of the Situation, P. 338 describes his visit
to ‘zeloan’ (alt. spelling for Ceylon) by walking on
the bridge.

11/19/2007
33

Research report
Asiatic Society, 1799,
Asiatick Researches: Or,
Transactions of the
Society Instituted in
Bengal, P. 52 refers to
the bridge called Setband
(alt. spelling, setuband
like Allahband; setu-
bandha), broken in 3
places. It also notes “The
people call it a bridge; or
otherwise it appears to
have wood growing on it,
and to be inhabited.”
11/19/2007
34

17

Hon’ble Mu. Karunanidhi cites evidence for Rama
Setu, there is also evidence from Sangam
literature

• In a book titled, Ramanathapuram
District Gazetteer published in
1972, Mu. Karunanidhi, the then
Chief Minister writes a foreword
and praises the contents
• The book refers to Rama Setu
(also called Adam’s bridge or Nala
Setu).
11/19/2007
35

‘setu’ in all bharatiya languages means ‘man-made bund’
• English word ‘bund’ comes from Bharatiya word: bandha
• Valmiki describes the construction of Sethu in detai (85 shlokas).
hastimaatraan mahaakaayaaH paaSaaNaamshca mahaabalaaH
parvataamshca samutpaaTya yantraiH parivahanti ca Valmiki
Ramayana 2-22-58
Vaanara having huge bodies, with mighty strength uprooted elephant-
sized rocks and mountains and transported them by mechanical
contrivances (yantraih).

• Vedavyasa refers to Nalasetu
nalasetur iti khyāto yo 'dyāpi prathito bhuvi rāmasyājñā purask tya
dhāryate girisa nibha MBh. 3.267.45
.... which even today, popular on earth as Nala's bridge, mountain-like, is
sustained out of respect for [Lord] Rama's command. (Nala was son of
Vis’wakarma) Kalidasa's Raghuvams’a (sarga 13): Rama, while returning
from SriLanka in pushpaka vimaana: quot;Behold, Sita, My Sethu of
mountains dividing this frothy ocean is like the milky way dividing the sky
into two partsquot;

Kaavya in Prakrit by Setubandha Kavya by the King Damodara Sen (5th
Century).
King Pravarasena II (550-600 CE) called “Setu bandha or Ravanavaho,
Dasamuha Vadhaquot;
11/19/2007
36

18

Evidence from Sangam literature
1.kadunter iraaman udanpun.ar seetaiyaivalittakai arakkan vavviya
jnaanr-ainilamcer madaran.i kan.d.a kurangincemmukap perunkil.ai
izhaippolindaa anguaar-aa a varunakai yinidu per-r-ikume (Pur-
anaanoor-u paadal 378)
When Arakkan Ravana abducted Sita who came with Rama, the
ornaments removed from her body and thrown by her to the
ground, the monkey families adorned themselves erratically with
these ornaments. People enjoyed seeing this sight.

2.venve_r- kavuniyar tonmudu ko_d.imuzhangirum pauvam iranku mun
tur-aivelpo_r iraaman arumar-aikku avittapal veezh aalam
po_lao_viyavintanr-aal iv azhunkaloore (Akanaanoor-u paadal 70)
Before Sri Rama embarked upon his journey to Sri Lanka, he sat
below a big banyan tree on the banks of the sacred Setu
(tiruvan.aikkarai) and was engrossed in conversation with his
friends. The birds on the banyan tree were chirping. Sri Rama
stopped the chirping by his command.

11/19/2007
37

Ancient Setu (Aryachakravarti) coins
of Jaffna, 13th century and Parantaka
Chola copper plate (10th cent.)
Setupati coinage,
16th and 17th century
Obverse: Sri
Ganapati,
seated.Reverse, in
Tamil, Se-Tu-Pa-(Ti
missing). Tamil
script.

(Nagaswamy R. 1979. Thiruttani and Velanjeri
Copper Plates. State Dept. Of Archaeology,
Tamilnadu. Madras. See: L’Hernault F. 1978.
L’Iconographie de Subrahmanya au Tamilnad,
Institut Francais d’ Indologie. Pondichery,
p.111, ph. 63.) The copper plates indicate that
Aparajitavarman went to Setutirtha.
38

19

Prambananan (Brahmavana),
Indonesia

11/19/2007
39

Rama Setu in sculptures (9th and
10th centuries CE)
• Stone steles from the Ramayana wall
carvings at Prambanan Temple, Java,
Indonesia (built during the ninth and tenth
centuries Common Era). Classical Javanese
dance performances of the Ramayana are
held seasonally at Prambanan temple. A
2006 earthquake in Central Java, however,
caused considerable damage to the World
Heritage Site.
• Devi Sita talking to Sri Hanuman
• Vaanara Sena carrying stones, in their arms
and on their heads, to build Rama Setu,
followed by Sri Rama, carrying a sword.
• Fish and other sea creatures handling stones
from Rama's bridge to Lanka, during the
construction of Nala Setu (Rama Setu).
• Source:
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/multimedia/2616
11/19/2007
40

20

Kilakkarai and other places produce s’ankha, a cultural
symbol venerated in Bharatiya traditions (West Bengal
Dev. Corpn. In Kilakarai has an annual turnover of Rs. 100
crores to procure s’ankha from Rama Setu coastal zone)

11/19/2007
41

Only Bharatam coastline produces
s’ankha

11/19/2007
42

21

S’ankha is unique
to Bharatam
coastline, not
found anywhere
else in the world
Date of the
woman’s burial
with ornaments
6500 Years
Before Common
Era.

Wide shell-
bangle and shell
ornaments
43
43

8,500 year-old S’ankha industry, Gulf of Mannar

Seven shell bangles from burial of S’ankha industry thrives in
an elderly woman, Harappa; worn Kilakkarai (Rs. 100 crore annual
on the left arm; three on the turnover); s’ankha kr.s’aana
upper arm and four on the (S’ankha cutter) mentioned in
forearm; 6.3 X 5.7 cm to 8x9 cm Rigveda, Atharvaveda
marine shell, Turbinella pyrum
Wide bangle made from a single
(After Fig. 7.43, Kenoyer, 1998) Harappa museum. H87-
635 to 637; 676 to 679.
conch shell and carved with a
chevron motif, Harappa; marine
shell, Turbinella pyrum (After Fig. 7.44,
Kenoyer, 1998) National Museum, Karachi. 54.3554. HM
44 13828.

22

Impact on the livelihood of coastal
people

U. Arulanandam, President,
Singaravelar Fishermen's
Forum : the project is being
implemented to enforce the
international boundary line in
the waters.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2201/stories/20050114005902400.htm
11/19/2007
45

Save marine wealth:
Vegetarian sea-cow, green turtle
The only place in the
world where dugong
lives.

Dugong is a sea-cow
which eats only
sea-grass.

There are over 3,600
unique aquatic
species in the Gulf
of Mannar
Bioreserve national
parks.
11/19/2007
46

23

Setu tirtham

Setubandha venerated as sacred
tirtha by Alwars and Nayanmars
Rameswaram is one of the 12
jyotirlinga sthalams.
Pilgrimage to Ganga
(Kas’ivis’wanatha) is complete
only after the pilgrimage to
Rameswaram and Setutirtham. 11/19/2007
47

Traditions
Setutirtha snaanam as sacred. Mahatittha in Sri Lanka.
Setutirham for mothers desirous of children
No ploughs are used in Ramanathapuram district : peoples’ belief that
the earth is sacred since Sri Rama made three s’ivalinga using this
earth
Any fisherman extracting stone together with algae does prayas’cittam
• Skanda Purana (III.1.2.1-114), Vishnu Purana (IV.4.40-
49), Agni Purana (V-XI), Brahma Purana (138.1-40) refer
to the construction of Rama Setu. Skanda Purana
(VI.101.1-44) describes the installation of three Shiva linga
at the end, middle and beginning of Rama Setu and
making the same bridge submerged and thereby
creating Setu-Teertham. This is also related in Kurma
Purana (21.10-61). Garuda Purana (1.81.1-22) lists sacred
places including Setubandh and Rameswar. Narada Purana
(Uttara Bhag 76.1-20) extols the greatness of Rama-Setu.

11/19/2007
48

24

Rama Setu: destruction status
10 Oct. 2007 46.07% (Palkbay/Palkstrait)
17 Sept. 2007 24.76% (Rama Setu/Adam’s Bridge)

11/19/2007
49

Project location

11/19/2007
50

25

Locus of Rama Setu in relation to the coastline
http://sethusamudram.gov.in

11/19/2007
51

Sir AR Mudaliar Committee Report 1956:
Choose canal, NOT mid-ocean channel passage
Reasons:

•Shifting Sandbanks
•No possibility of construction of protective
works… definite navigational hazard
•Channel would border on the
Sethusamudram Medial Line.

“In these circumstances we have no doubt,
whatever that the junction between the two sea
should be effected by a Canal; and the idea of
cutting a passage in the sea through Adam’s
Bridge should be abandoned.”
11/19/2007
52

26

Nightmare ship salvage operation if
Setusamudram is aligned as a mid-
ocean channel passage
Suez canal uses
special bollards
every 200 ft. to
salvage a
grounded vessel
Such bollards are
possible only if a
land-based
canal is used.
11/19/2007
53

Project does NOT make
nautical sense
According to Capt. Balakrishnan, the saving
in time from Kolkata to Tuthukudi
(Tuticorin) for a ship will be only 1.5 hrs.
Crossing channel at 6 nautical miles paying
pilotage charges (approx. Rs. 5 lakhs per
passage)?
Even many small ships with only 30,000
Dead Weight Tonnes may prefer to
navigate around Srilanka instead of using
the channel.
11/19/2007
54

27

Eminent Jurists’ views
Justice VR Krishna Iyer’s letter to PM: I beseech
you to reconsider the stand taken if any already.
This is a matter of political party business or
popularity or pro-American yen…the grave issue
with which the nation shall defend its survival.
Justice KT Thomas: It is our duty to make in-depth
study of all possible repercussions before
destroy the natural geological formations. That
apart, the religious sentiments of the majority
community in India that Lord Rama created such
sea wall must he honored and respected.

11/19/2007
55

Court Orders
• Evidence for Rama Setu accepted. Courts use the word Rama Setu

• Violation of Section 295 of IPC (AIR 1958 SC 1032 Veerapathra Chettiar Vs.
Ramaswamy Naicker)

• Section 295: “with the intention of hereby insulting the religion of any class of
persons or with the knowledge that any class of persons is likely to consider such
destruction, damage or defilement as an insult to the religion.”

• HC noted: Sir A. Ramaswamy Mudaliar Committee expressly rejected the idea of
cutting a channel through the bridge and said that the idea should be
abandoned.
• Punjab and Haryana High Court held that Brahmasarovar was deemed to be a
monument

• Ramanathapuram judge: Final opinion could be pronounced only after subjecting
their documents to thorough scrutiny with the opinions of experts in the field
(archaeology and geology)

• SC order: “Till September 14, the alleged Rama Sethu/Adam’s bridge shall not be
damaged in any manner. Dredging activity may be carried out so long as it does
not damage Rama Sethu.”

• More details at: http://kalyan97.wordpress.com

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28

Rama Setu -- world heritage
Many monuments have been declared as World Heritage
Sites by UNESCO:

Coiba National Park and its Special Zone of Marine
Protection in Panama Tubbataha Reef
Marine Park in the Philippines
Kvarken Archipelago / High Coast in Sweden/Finland
Giant's causeway and Causeway coast in UK
Great Barrier Reef in Australia
Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System in Belize
Mont St. Michel and its bay in France
Ha Long Bay in Vietnam
Matobo Hills in Zimbabwe

US court backs Indian tribe (Navajo) to prevent
desiccation of a sacred mountain in USA
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20070312-1046-environment-navajos.html 11/19/2007
57
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/

Why save Rama Setu ?
To remember Sri Rama. The only surviving
monument related to Sri Rama who
walked from Ayodhya to Srilanka
This social, cultural memory is sacred
Sri Rama vigrahavaan dharmah (the very
embodiment of dharma)
Sri Rama is the role model for bharatiya
values based on dharma and for integrity
of the rashtram
11/19/2007
58

29

Sri Rama and s’ankha naadam
Vishnu’s fight
Vishnu’
with the
Rakshasas led by
Malyavaan, Maali
Malyavaa Maa
and Sumaali as
Sumaa
narrated in the
Uttarkanda of the
Ramayana
(Canto VI-VIII)
VI- A
Terracotta Panel from Bhitargaon Showing a
Ramayana Scene By P. Banerjee
Banerjee
http://ignca.nic.in/pb0020.htm

11/19/2007
59

Sustainable development alternatives
Transport system alternatives:

• railwayline between Thutukudi and Villupuram (near
Chennai)
• Pipelines connecting west coast and east coast for
distribution of oil and gas

Heritage tourism

• Heritage tourism development by delcaring
Rames’waram and Rama Setu as divya-kshetram

11/19/2007
60

30

Heritage tourism
• Tamilnadu Government website says Rama
Setu and Rameshwaram are divyakshetram
(like Tirumala) with reference to floating
stones used to build the bridge (Setu).
• “The stone said to have used to construct the
floating bridge Sethu Bandanam could be
seen here…”

11/19/2007
61

Rames’varam – holy, jyotirlinga
• The Holy abode of the Hindu God, Shri Ram
(addressed so with all respect & humility) is a
virtual paradise for the devout. No Hindu’s
journey is complete without a pilgrimage to both
Varanasi and Rameswaram for the culmination
of his quest for salvation and is hallowed by the
epic ‘Ramayana’. Folklore mentions about God
Ram’s presence in this land, after his 14-year
exile. (Ramnad, govt. website)

11/19/2007
62

31

Floating stone for Setubandhanam
• Erwadi…(near Rames’varam)

• SATCHI HANUMAN TEMPLE: This is where
Hanuman is said to have delivered the good
news of sita's well being to Rama with an
evidance choodamanai(Jewel) of Sita.
• FIVE FACED HANUMAN TEMPLE: Hanuman is
adorned with senthooram here. The stone said
to have used to construct the floating bridge
Sethu Bandanam could be seen here…
• http://www.ramnad.tn.nic.in/tourism.htm

11/19/2007
63

(Om versus Rome!)
• Rama Setu is divya-kshetram
• It is our sacred duty, dharma to protect
this teerthasthaanam
• Let pranava, omkaara, anaahata
naadam emanating from sacred s’ankha
reverberate around the world
• Let us save the ecosphere, nation’s
wealth, uphold nation’s sovereignty
• Security of rashtram cannot be
compromised or privatised 11/19/2007

32

Ramasetu1dec2007

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