The Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) is set to undertake an archaeological exploration into whether the Ram Sethu is a natural or man-made phenomenon.
It will undertake this exploration in the months of October and November to come to an initial view before deciding whether a more detailed underwater archaeological excavation is required to probe deeper into the question, said ICHR chairman Y. Sudershan Rao.
Also known as Adam’s Bridge, Ram Sethu is a stretch of limestone shoals running from Pamban Island near Rameswaram in South India to the Mannar Island near the northern coast of Sri Lanka.
While there are geological theories on its natural formation, many devout Hindus believe that it was built by the army of Lord Ram to go to Lanka to wage war with its king, Ravan.
“In October and November, we will try to figure out in one or two months whether more is required on this. We will also publish our findings,” Professor Rao said in a brief interaction with journalists. “We are not saying anything right now. It needs to be explored and we are just exploring.”
Ocean archaeology
The ICHR has linked this excavation to a two-week training session on ocean archaeology it will hold in May or June.
Professor Alok Tripathi of Assam University at Silchar — formerly with the Archaeological Survey of India — is being roped in to impart training to 15-20 researchers into theoretical aspects of ocean archaeology.
After this training, the researchers will be roped in to undertake the planned archaeological excavation of the Ram Sethu.
When there was a plan a decade or two back to build a Sethusamudram shipping canal project to cut travel time for ships — as they could not cross the shallow Ram Sethu otherwise — both Hindu groups and environmentalists opposed it.
This apart, the ICHR is also undertaking projects on the history of dance and the history of Indian art, Professor Rao said. It is also about to organise a conclave on antiquity and continuity in Indian history before the first millennium BC
